Restoring faith in humanity
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 10, 2023 -

"Faith in humanity restored". This is a popular phrase used by the internet users in response to report of somebody doing an exceptionally good deed.

And, this is exactly what Singjamei 360, a Facebook Page, has done by crowdsourcing fund for helping a student of BSc Nursing, who was on the verge of losing his chance to sit in the last semester examination as his parents could not pay the fee.

After their house in Kangpokpi district was reduced to ashes by a mob of Kuki-Chin people on May 4 last, the family of Ronald Thoudam, a student pursuing B Sc Nursing at Prajwal College of Nursing, Bangalore, took refuge at various places like the SP's quarters, an army camp in Lairou, and then in a relief camp in Sekmai, before they were finally shifted to the relief camp set up at Lamboi Khongnangkhong in Imphal West district.

Before the violence started, Ronald's father, who is a head mason by profession, had paid Rs 35,ooo out of the total Rs 95,000 semester fee for his son.

But after all his possessions had been consumed by the flame of communal hatred, he was in no position of paying the remaining amount of Rs 60,000 to ensure continuation of his son's study.

As the college committee had made it clear that Ronald would be barred from sitting the last semester examination if the due fee amount is not paid by October 9, Ronald's father was worried as he did not know whom to approach for help as all his earlier efforts remained fruitless.

It was at this point that someone gave him the phone number of Singjamei 360 and told him to ask if they could do anything to help.

As of October 8, Singjamei 360 raised Rs 2.4 lakh for helping the nursing student and his worried family, and the rest, as they say, is history.

While the altruistic act of initiating a crowdsourcing fund drive by Singjamei 360 for helping a distress family has restored the faith in humanity amidst the humanitarian crisis in Manipur that has been going on since May 3 last following the outbreak of communal clashes between the Meietei/Meitei and Kuki-Chin communities, there is an important lesson that we all could and should learn from this heartwarming episode - that is, internet could be used for good causes as well.

The importance of internet in this modern world is such that it is unimaginable to live without this communication tool anymore.

Our daily life tasks, communication, and enjoyment depend chiefly on the internet today.

So, when internet was shut down in Manipur by the government to put a curb on spreading misinformation, everybody denounced that it is a violation of human rights. But nobody tries to understand how this important tool for communication is being misused to fuel the violence.

It is astounding to see that more than the actual action on the ground, communal clashes between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities are being enacted on various social media platforms today.

For every single post put up on any online platform, people on both sides of the clash divide who are lucky enough to have access to internet services are passing disparaging comments that are sometimes downright derogatory or abusive.

With social media ensuring anonymity, there has been no-holds-barred in trying to deride each other so much so that moderate voices of sanity and restrained language that are necessary for peace-building seem to have been drowned out.

So, instead of exacerbating the current humanitarian crisis in Manipur, internet users in Manipur could very well learn a lesson from Singjamei 360 and help in ameliorating the plight of thousands of displaced families whose daily activities of eking out a living have been thrown into chao by the senseless violence that has been needlessly allowed to go on far too long, thanks to an efficient administration.