From the table to the streets
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 19, 2010 -

At the moment it would be not only foolish but irrational to expect someone, especially Delhi to suddenly come up with a magic wand and defuse the crisis that has erupted in Manipur and to an extent in Nagaland, ever since the Union Home Ministry gave the go ahead signal to NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah to visit his birth place in Somdal village, Ukhrul district.

v That Chief Minister O Ibobi and his Council of Ministers must have felt slighted and taken for granted is natural for the Union Home Ministry did not deem it necessary to consult the State Government, when it gave the green signal to Th Muivah.

Not surprisingly, the SPF Government took a firm stance and stood its ground against the decision of the Union Home Ministry and made it clear that Mr Muivah's visit cannot be allowed.

The reasons given have been many, such as the communal tension that his visit would create in the backdrop of the demand to integrate all Naga inhabited areas under administrative unit etc.

On the other hand, there have been a number of voices emanating from across the country that no one should deny a man the right to visit his place of birth.

This line of argument comes under the impression that Muivah is a citizen of India, though the rebel leader has never acknowledged this and it is precisely this reason, why he took off to the jungles to wage a war against the Government of India for decades.

There have been numerous write ups and articles, for and against the proposed visit of Th Muivah and while such type of debate is welcome, it is unfortunate to see that the present crisis is in danger of snowballing into some sort of a confrontation between communities, who have lived together since ages.

As things stand today, the total blockade imposed by the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur on the two National Highways has been further strengthened by the stand of the Naga Students' Federation that no vehicle from Manipur will be allowed to pass through Nagaland or Naga inhabited areas.

In obvious retaliation, the Meiteis settled in the valley of Imphal, have launched a counter blockade, stopping the ferrying to essential commodities to the hill districts of Manipur, barring Churachandpur. Lest we forget, the total blockade imposed by ANSAM is against the decision of the State Government to go ahead with the ADC election under the 3rd Amendment of 2008 and initially had nothing to do with the proposed visit of Mr Th Muivah.

Adding another twist to the deadlock is the voice raised by the North East People's Organisation in Assam to oppose the demand of a Greater Lim as well as the proposed visit of Muivah to Somdal village.

If the report received from Assam is anything to go by then at least 10,000 people are understood to have taken part in a rally staged at Hojai in Assam.

Hojai not only has a sizeable Meitei population but student organisations representing other communities like the Dimasas and the Karbis are understood to have thrown their weight behind the anti-Nagalim stand adopted by the Governments of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Apart from opposing the idea of a Greater Lim, these organisations have also issued a warning to all the Naga organisations to call off the blockade along the highways or else counter blockades would be enforced at some points in Assam which leads towards Nagaland.

Such developments is not healthy at all, and from a purely political issue which should be thrashed out by the parties concerned, the Lim issue has started coming out on the streets, pitting one community against the other. In other words, we are nearing that stage when we have to adopt the line of, 'if you are with us you are our friends or else you are our enemies.

'We do not need to follow this line infamously blurted out by a former President of the USA, but remind ourselves that we are neighbours and nothing can change this.

The fate of the people of region are inextricably linked to each other and issues which should be sorted out at the negotiating table should be left at that and not transformed into a frenzy, where everyone takes to the streets, ignoring the call of sanity that has emerged from some corners such as the invitation sent by the Co-ordinating Committee of Naga Civil Society to AMUCO and UCM for a dialogue at Guwahati.

No doubt all the people are stakeholders in the Lim issue, but there is something called a mature approach to resolve any sensitive issue.

That the invitation had to be turned down due to compelling reasons is a different thing, but it is such steps which should gain prominence over others. The confrontationist attitude has to be thrown into the trash bin.