Patriarchy blamed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 09 2014:
Majority of the speakers who spoke at a panel discussion programme on the topic of violence against women held at Lamyanba Shanglen under the aegis of the Manipur Kanba Ima Lup today blamed the deep-rooted patriarchal system and existence of Manipur as a colonial State for the soaring graph in violence against women.
Prof Nahakpam Aruna of Manipur University said that women have been taking key roles in the political history of Manipur.
There had been many women about whom contemporary women can be proud of, Prof Aruna said citing the examples of Langmai Petanga, Panthoibi, Lingthoingambi, the two Nupi Lans etc.
However, in spite of shouldering heavy responsibilities on all fronts of the socio-economic and political life, women literally have no place under the deep-rooted patriarchal system of Manipuri society.
While Manipuri women have been living at a subordinate plane generation after generation, the infamous Armed Forces Special Powers Act was imposed in the State which only multiplied the plight of women, Prof Aruna said.
Lamyanba Irabot was one leader who understood the harsh existential realities encountered by Manipuri women on a daily basis.
It was Irabot which advocated education and emancipation of women from the clutch of menfolk, Aruna said.
Dr Ch Sheelaramani of DM College of Arts said exploitation of women by women takes place across the world.
There is a patriarchy driven politics behind all common notions about women being impure and inferior.
Patriarchy is a sort of colonial system and women are never given the social position they deserve under any colonial system, he observed.
It is the patriarchal politics which breed the notion that women are polluted/impure, women are a burden/liability etc.
These concepts/notions are endorsed by religions, holy books, customs and traditions.
Many feminists across the world have started re-writing all these books, Sheelaramani said.
A new education system which can promote gender equality and negate all the negative concepts about women is the need of the hour.
Ng Liklaileima of The Sangai Express remarked that the partriachal system set up for the convenience of women often victimize men too.
Superior position enjoyed by men under the patriarchal system corrupt men, often driving many of them to adopt criminal tendency.
Former Director of Art and Culture Aheibam Biren said that women and men are inseparable and there should be mutual respect between them.
Apunba Manipur Kanba Lup president Phanjoubam (O) Sakhi observed that the subservient position to which women and Manipur as a State are being subjected to is the root cause of the growing violence against women.