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The Issues Ahead
We are now practically one month into the New Year and 2006 certainly started off on an ominous note. The disturbing point is there just does not seem to any light at the end of the tunnel and there is nothing to expect the current year will be better than the year that has just passed us by. Doom Sayers, we may be called, but there is nothing to even remotely suggest that there are happy tidings that we can expect in the coming months. Already tension is beginning to grip the people as January 31 approaches and as long as the Greater Lim demand is not resolved, tension and anxiety will continue to grip the minds of the people.

The demand to totally repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act still stands and everything depends on how the Government responds to the recommendations given by the Justice Reddy panel, which is believed to have suggested that the archaic law be scrapped. The crippling economic blockade which was imposed by the All Naga Students' Association against the decision of the State Government to declare June 18 as State Unity day and a general holiday, continues to haunt the people, for the blockade has only been suspended and not called off. This in effect means that the blockade may be re-imposed any time and we can be sure that the student body will use this tool to bargain with the Government in its efforts to champion the cause of a Greater Lim.

On the other hand the opponents to the demand of a Greater Lim may also tighten their stand and if the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister by the United Committee Manipur is any indication, any attempt to give in to the demand of the NSCN (IM) will be opposed tooth and nail.

These are some of the issues which we can expect in the coming months and to be sure all these issues, with the exception of the demand to repeal the AFSPA, will once again test the resilience and patience of the people of Manipur, not to talk about the maturity of the general population. Sharp divisions along ethnic lines can also be expected what with finger pointing accusations doing the round, especially from the interior parts of Churachandpur district. The uproar raised against the assassination of IGP T Thangthuam, was a clear indication of the deep rooted and misplaced sense of injustice being meted out to the minority communities by the majority community.

We can leave the task of governance to the Government and politicking to the political leaders of the State, but as civilians we can and should do something to rectify the misplaced sense of injustice and discrimination being felt by some of the minority communities in the State. For starters we need to encourage more people to people contact and this is where economic activities should be given due importance. The global scenario today is such that economics has taken precedence over political necessities and a thrust on the economic contact between the different communities will surely go a long way in improving the social relations between the different sets of peoples in the State. Let this be our mantra then for the coming months.

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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