Over the years, through the different stages of evolution the human society has passed through or progressed, each and every society have managed to work out ways and means to settle differences whenever any disputes arose between two groups of people, between families and clans or even between two individuals. The legal system as we understand it in the modern parlance cannot be anything but systematic arrangements of such mechanisms which have been handed down over the years in a human society.
As much as the over riding presence of a modern judiciary system is in place, at times people do resort to the customary manner of by gone days to settle disputes or differences or to seek justice and while we are no experts to say whether such practice is desirable or not, we cannot help but note that the customary manner of settling differences have certain points that cannot be overlooked.
We hark back to the customary manner of settling differences because today it has become suddenly very important in the face of the decision of the people of Nagaram to levy a customary fine on the UCM for the ugly scene that was witnessed on the night of January 16, the day the UCM organized the torch slogan program. We need not go into the details but the residents of Nagaram and the adjoining places have alleged that their houses were stoned and they were abused in the choicest of invectives, by some lumpen elements.
The incident was a shameful episode in the campaign to save the territory of Manipur and while the people of Nagaram and the adjoining areas have every right to protest the incident and demand corrective measures, we sure do hope the demand for a customary fine is not dictated by any desire to settle scores with anyone.
In connection with the Nagaram incident we received two interesting letters, one from Mr. CJ Woleng, a prominent citizen of Manipur and a retired Government officer and another one from former Minister and Lt Colonel (Retd) Haobam Bhuban. Expressing grave disappointment over the whole incident, Mr. Woleng said that his house was stoned not to mention the abusive words used by the miscreants. To top it all, Mr. Woleng mentioned that he was one of the few who did not leave during the ‘last exodus’ of the Nagas believing that nothing would happen.
Promptly reacting to Mr. Woleng's letter, Mr. Bhuban wrote in condemning the incident and wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiments of the Naga gentleman. However, Mr. Bhuban had a solid point when he observed, rather appealed, against forming opinion on the basis of some stray incidents. We refer to the letters from these two gentlemen, because, we feel they represent the sane voice of society, both representing the sentiments of different communities. So even as the people of Nagaram have decided to levy the customary fine on the UCM, we would like to see this as the first conciliatory step towards mending the ugly episode of the January 16 incident.
A customary fine, to mend the fence and not to extract a pound of flesh, should be the driving principle behind the decision of the Nagaram people and of course it will be in the fitness of things for the UCM to reciprocate similarly. Lastly we would like to lay down that what happened at Nagaram and Sawombung are aberrations and deviances and do not represent the campaign to save the territory of Manipur.
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