Imphal, April 13 2010: In any conflict situation, marginalised sections of the society get affected the most and there are always some who benefit from such situations and it is they who desire to prolong the conflict for their own interest, Governor Gurbachan Jagat has observed.

Inaugurating a seminar on 'Peace Dividend' at the conference hall of Hotel Classic today, the Governor noted that in any conflict situation, it is the women, children and economically weaker sections who are most affected but their voices are muted and ignored.

Organised under the joint aegis of State Home Department and State Academy of Training, the day-long seminar was attended by Secretary DONER Jayati Chandra, bureaucrats, academicians and representatives of Army, Police, Civil society and media.

Speaking as chief guest of the inaugural function, Governor observed that though it may be difficult to quantify the loss incurred due to unrest, everyone knows that it leads to flight of capital, kills innovation, kills entrepreneurship, etc, thus leading to a vicious cycle of poverty and violence.

Stating that some of the losses are tangible while most are intangible, the Governor pointed out that in Manipur during 2005-06, 145 days were under bandhs and strikes and one can surmise the plight of daily wage earners, when they canot earn for 40 days in a year.

The recent example of the closure of the educational institutions for about four months last year to support certain demands is like cutting off one's own limb.

The classes have been resumed, but it will be difficult to bridge the losses and we also do not know the psychological scars it had left on our young students, the Governor expressed concern, while noting that after the ethnic violence in the nineties, the number of cases attending the psychiatric clinic increased sharply in Churachandpur.

The Governor went on to say that the loss in human life is also huge in conflict situation.

During 2009, due to conflict there were 420 deaths including 68 civilians, 19 members of the security forces and police and 333 members of various UG groups including those who died in internecine clashes.

All of them were in the prime of their lives and one can visualise the plights of their families.

Stating that the State Government has a crucial role to play in maintaining peace, the Governor pointed out that the Government has been democratically elected to govern the State and ensure that the life and property of its citizens are protected.

The Governor also observed that in a conflict situation, human rights become the first casualty, both from the State and non-State actors.

It is mandatory that human rights are safeguarded and action taken against the perpetrators.

Only when can we claim that we live in a civilised society as no civilised society harbours or tolerates human rights violators.

Development becomes another casualty, which breeds corruption and stagnates economy.

Another important corollary is the large scale brain drain, with the best brains leaving the State and only the mediocre left in the State.

This would lead to another vicious cycle of underdevelopment and poor governance.

Observing that the role of media in conflict situation in Manipur needs no further highlighting, the Governor lauded media in the State for their sincere reporting and commences.

Though there are some aberrations which are far and few, some of their suggestions are so pragmatic that I applaud them for their incisive understanding of the issues involved.

They have to walk a thin line and the parameters in which they perform their duty is small as they are under pressure from different quarters, he acknowledged.

While maintaining that there are no easy or ready made solutions for all that ails the State today, the Governor, nonetheless, pointed out that most civilised way of solving a problem is negotiation for which talks and discussion of the competing stakeholders is the first requisite.

Only when we talk can we understand and appreciate the other's view point.

Complimenting the organisers of the seminar, the Governor hoped that it would be the harbinger of subsequent such seminars, which can bring all the stakeholders on one platform and voice their concern and chart the path for finding a solution to the problem of the State.

This is not an easy path but a start must be made and all efforts made to make 'peace' the ultimate goal, the Governor added.

Ex-Minister Prof Gangmumei Kamei, who attended the inaugural function as guest of honour, observed that the conflict in Manipur is a political not military.

So to resolve the conflict, a political solution should be brought about.

Earlier, delivering the welcome address, Chief Secretary DS Poonia explained that the seminar is being organised taking into consideration of various issues like daily incidents of violence in Manipur, prevailing uncertainty in the minds of the people, the issue of non-Manipuris and the last year's report of the Union Home Ministry where Manipur has been categorised as the most violent State.

The recommendations of the seminar would be forwarded to the Union Home Ministry, the Chief Secretary informed the participants.

In the technical session of the seminar, panel discussion on the impact of bandh and blockade, security forces and human rights, empowering of women and self help formation and the role of media was held.

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