Gender equality a far cry without political freedom : CorCom
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 07 2022: The CorCom has categorically stated that it would be impossible for the women of WESEA to achieve gender equality and live in a society which is free from gender bias, stereotyping of women and discrimination until and unless the region enjoys political freedom.

A statement issued by the CorCom Publicity Committee on the occasion of the International Women's Day (March 8) asserted that it is essential to inform the whole world about how women of WESEA have been living amid the armed conflict situation.

This year's theme for International Women's Day is 'Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow' and it implies that gender equality can secure a sustainable future, it said.

People of WESEA have been suffering under the impact of casteism, untouchability and racism which are closely associated with Hinduism.

As India's Hinduism believes in expansionism, Hindu cultures and traditions are being supplanting indigenous cultures and traditions of WESEA, alleged the outfit.

Subsequent upon supplanting indigenous cultures and traditions by Hindu cultures and traditions, women of WESEA who took active roles in the National political and economic affairs were marginalised, it alleged.

Even though ensuring gender equality is of paramount importance, the UN's goal 'Sustainable Tomorrow' and regeneration of sustainable environment would remain a far cry in the region, the CorCom asserted.

As they have been denied the right to self-determination, Manipuri people are unable to take noteworthy steps to join the race for development and check environmental degradation.

India's Supreme Court has already claimed that Indian security forces had staged countless number of fake encounters in Manipur, it alleged.

The CorCom said that it is the womenfolk who have been bearing the greater brunt of the atrocities committed by the alien rule.

At the Universal Periodic Review 2017 held under the United Nations, the Attorney General of India stated that AFSPA was enforced in some selected areas of the country.

The Attorney General's statement exposed India's desire to keep its frontier States/areas under martial law, the CorCom alleged.

The dream for gender equality can never be realised in India where 6 per cent super-rich people control almost 60 per cent of the country's GDP.

In addition, capitalism which sees women and indigenous values as commodities has been constantly suppressing women instead of uplifting them.

The CorCom asserted that gender equality can never be realised in a Nation/State until and unless it achieves political independence.

In the same manner, it would be impossible for communities/Nations which do not enjoy political freedom to take part in the global effort to check environmental degradation.

As India has been continuously draining the State's economy, the State's economy has been suffering critically and it has serious impacts on the environment, it alleged.

It further warned that the recent initiative of taking up large scale palm oil plantation in WESEA would have serious impacts on the region's ecology as one palm oil plant requires 200 litres of water in a day.

It called upon all the womenfolk of Manipur (of both the hills and valley) to bear in mind that gender equality can be realised only when Manipur achieves political freedom.

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