Address the root cause

More than anything else Manipur today needs a healing touch. LOT is being written about Manipur these days. But it’s a pity that none has so far tried to find out the root cause of the unrest in this strategic North-Eastern State.

Concluding that Manipur is in flames because of the custodial death of T Manorama Devi is too simple a version. The analysts are simply overlooking the fact that the present unrest was inevitable. Years of neglect by the Centre, hopeless/ineffective State administration, gun-trotting ultras, extortions and atrocities, all combined together had already turned Manipur in to a volcano which could erupt any time. The Manorama incident had only expedited the process. People in mainland India know very little about the plight of the Manipuris. On one hand, dictates of various insurgent outfits active in the valley had successfully replaced the law of the land in that State. Whatever they order, the people has no other option but to abide by. They shed a portion of their income to keep insurgency alive in the State on a regular basis.

Starting from the dress the Manipuris wear to the movies they watch, the ultras are the sole deciding authority. Politicians will oppose this vehemently, but the fact remains that even to become a MLA or an MP, support of the ultras are essential.

On the other hand, allegations of atrocities by the security forces are not rare occurrences, but a regular feature in Manipur. What happened in Oinam? What caused the CRPF to open fire in the Regional Medical College (RMC) compound? Who killed Manorama? Questions are plenty, but unfortunately the answers are not forthcoming.

While the Manipuri people are caught in between devil and deep sea, the State administration has remained a mute spectator. The leaders have virtually no time for the State and its people. They are more interested in getting a share of power rather than delivering the goods. Weak political leadership had only helped the State to go from bad to worse.

Here is a State where governments change every alternative day. No wonder that political stability is a myth there. Here is a State where politicians are being guarded heavily by the security forces, but there is no security for the common people. Here, development works has come to a standstill long back but no one is bothered. Prices of essential commodities in Manipur are much higher than any other states of the country.

Despite being aware of the situation, the Centre allowed it to go out of control. Apart from knee jerk reactions whenever people took to streets, no permanent measures have been taken to reduce the misery of the Manipuri people. At times the Centre also appears clueless about the ground realities in the State. 

It is a fact that initially the ultras instigated the present crisis. But who provided them the opportunity on a platter? Why is there so much confusion over the remedial measures to be taken both by the State and the Central governments? Will the Assam Rifles leave Kangla Fort or not? Will Armed Forces Special Power Act remain stringent of will it be diluted? Why are the Assam Rifles personnel involved in the incident avoiding the judicial enquiry? Why no senior leader from Delhi visited the State when Manipur was burning for nearly a month? Today Manipur needs healing touch more than anything else. The people of the State have suffered enormously for years for no fault of their own. Their leaders have let them down. There is no one to listen to their cries. In such a situation the Manipuris resorted to their last option. They came out to the streets. They are not really bothered about the presence of security forces in the State. They only want to live a peaceful life, where there will be no threat from the undergrounds, no excesses by the security personnel and a government which is for the people, by the people and of the people in true sense.

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