Memory of blockades, bandhs - Let the Yuletide spirit erase it
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 24 2011 -

Five, ten, fifteen or twenty years down the line and 2011 may well be remembered as the year of the blockade courtesy the 120 days economic bandh first coming from the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee and then taken up by the United Naga Council.

And when Yuletide season comes, say five or ten years hence, 2011 may also be remembered as the year of the bandh thanks to the four days general strike first called by the JAC Against the Brutal Murder of Soram Ibomcha and Yaiphu from December 19 to 20 and then later by the KCP (MC) from December 21 to 23.

Bandhs and blockades have always been one of the defining points of Manipur but what sets the blockades and the bandhs of 2011 apart from the others was the unmistakable stamp of 'in your face' attitude adopted by the people behind the different forms of agitations.

It may be dubbed as nothing more than a symbolic gesture, but what was painfully and disturbingly evident was the departure from earlier practices of relaxing any form of bandh or blockade at the time of festivals of any community.

So it was that Ningol Chakkouba, probably one the most meaningful and biggest festivals of the major community of the State had to be held under the cloud of the economic blockade on the National Highways.

People had to dig deeper into their pockets to observe the festivity in the face of the galloping prices of essential commodities. The 'divide nail' was hammered in all that little more.

If Ningol Chakkouba was held under the cloud of the blockade then the four days bandh not only dampened the Yuletide spirit but also threw a spanner in the plans of many an average people, who had planned all year through to do a little bit of shopping, buy a sweater or a jacket or a pair of new shoes for the kids, obviously from the commercial centre of Manipur, Imphal.

Yet another case of the common folk caught on the wrong foot, literally and figuratively speaking and in the process bringing home the real truth that ultimately none of the bandhs or blockades were imposed or called with the welfare of the common people in mind, but to enable the opportunists to have yet another day under the Sun.

The question is, how long should the people allow this bitterness to fester ?

The Yuletide season is on and despite the bleak picture, the all round confusion and the air of distrust that hangs heavy on the heads of everyone, it is observation of the day like the birth of Lord Jesus Christ that renews our hope in the innate kindness of mankind.

Tomorrow, the world will celebrate the birth of the Saviour of mankind and perhaps the most beautiful part of this day lies in the fact that it is no longer just a day for Christians to celebrate but for all mankind.

The birth of Jesus Christ has indeed broken through the artificial world of divide erected by man down the centuries and surely there can be no message stronger than this that love knows no boundary, no artificial divide put up by man for his own self centred interest.

The point is how far the people of Manipur will be ready to go to pull down the wall they have built around them by whipping up issues to the level of a frenzy.

Should December 25 be just another day where everyone come to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, a sort of an anniversary, or should it be about imbibing the message of love and forgiveness?

Should the teachings of Christ be meaningful only to a certain group of people who follow a particular religious belief, which is Christianity in this case?

More importantly should Christianity be only about attending midnight service and singing halleluiah or does it mean something more?

Let the true meaning of Christmas permeate through and reach the heart of everyone. For the wishes, the greetings, the midnight service, the choir service and the prayers to have any meaning, the first step then should be to ensure that another 2011 does not ever recur and in the same vein make efforts so that ten, fifteen and twenty years down the line, 2011 is not remembered as the year of the blockades and bandhs, but as the year of forgiveness.

Merry Christmas to all our readers.