Nip hate rhetoric in the bud : KIM
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, May 29 2022: Amidst an alleged disturbing ground swell of Kuki-Chin-Mizo-phobia in the State, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), has categorically stated that all the rhetoric of hate must be nipped in the bud.

The KIM has also urged the people of Manipur to improve the quality of resilience against the insidious phenomenon of hate and racial profiling.

A press statement of KIM signed by its two vice-presidents, Sominthang Doungel and Lal Robul Pudaite stated that in recent years hate-mongering and venom spewing against the Kuki-Chin-Mizo ethnic group seem to have become a new norm by a few fringe groups whose raison d'�tre is spreading hatred and animosity towards a particular ethnic group in the State and these small hitherto unknown fringe groups, aided by a few of their supporters, have been working overtime on the social media and all forms of communication are being exploited as platforms to promote this bigotry.

A handful of these hate-mongers have been building up false narratives and trying to dominate the public discourse coupled with incendiary rhetoric in a desperate bid to dehumanize, ostracise, and stigmatise their targeted ethnic group-the Kuki-Chin-Mizos, it added.

It continued that what is equally appalling in this whole charade is the double standards adopted by the administration.

It is one of a static nature towards these propagators of hate while adopting a military Government like approach when it comes to cracking down on anyone who speaks out their piece from the targeted ethnic group.

"If truth be told, the administration has been selectively selecting to whom the law applies with full force in the State", it alleged and added that it is regrettable that the essence of the rule of law is not only misplaced but also non-existent in the State.

The stance adopted by the present ruling dispensation is ultra-vires and completely unconstitutional to say the least, and it is in complete violation of the rights to equality (Articles 14-18) listed under the Fundamental Rights, enshrined in the Constitution of India, it added.

The KIM also said that the idea of discrimination lies at the heart of hate speech/hate-mongering whose impact is not measured by its abusive value alone, but rather by how successfully and systematically it marginalizes a people.

Hate-mongering is nothing but systematic efforts by the proponents to marginalize an individual or a community based on their membership of an ethnic group, seeking to delegitimize a community in the eyes of other ethnic groups, reducing their social standing and acceptance within the society and the State, it said.

"What we have witnessed in the State recently is the result of the cumulative impact of the relentless villainizing of one ethnic group, and any act of democratic forms of protest by the victimized ethnic group who are at the receiving end of "democratic deficit" is viewed further as a disruption of a project that seeks to make public spaces more exclusive, and hence was met with exaggerated responses in law and politics", it alleged.

In a situation like this, the targeted and victimized ethnic group assumes hyperbolic significance; and this is an indication of democratic deficit, which is the result of concerted hate directed towards a certain ethnic group over a period of time, it added.

It also said that all these vitriolic attacks against the Kuki-Chin-Mizo group of people, who are listed as Scheduled Tribes in the Constitution of India, is also in gross violation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989) .

The KIM then opined that every right-thinking citizen of the State must take a definite stand against those who are trying to weaponize hate for their own petty personal political gains and the loud voices of a few hate-filled people on the fringes of the society should be prevented at all cost from moving into the mainstream.

It also stated that the people of Manipur must realize that hate conveyed in the form of speech or writing is a menace to democratic values, social stability, and peace and the rhetoric of hate must be nipped in the bud.

"We must learn to have mutual respect for each other's histories, traditions, and cultures and focus our energies instead on building an equitable society of mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference and peaceful co-existence", it said.

"Let us all work towards enhancing our resilience against such insidious phenomenon of hate and racial profiling, so that we will be in a position to strengthen the bonds of society, and build a better world for all of us", it added.

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