~ Joel Mangboi Haokip, New Delhi

Manipur is repeatedly hitting the news headlines not for the right reasons but entirely for the wrong reasons. Not only did the gross infringements of human rights have been in frequency but various Democratic rights destined by the Constitution, are not properly materialized. It clearly seems that democratic values have no place in this tiny state.

Despite the fact that more and more downtrodden people have begun to exercise their right of casting
votes during election and there is a new consciousness among the common masses which deepen the
roots of democracy, this in itself does not result in strengthening the rights of the people. More innocent
people are killed in cold-blooded in Manipur than anywhere in India. Even the long demanded sixth scheduled of the constitution are yet to be implemented in the long neglected Hill districts.

There is hardly any political movement for social reform though the society itself is reforming slowly. The bureaucracy is uncontrollable and the colonial tradition of bureaucracy as the rulers and people as
the ruled is continuing. Corruption even at the local level of administration has increased so much that people do not get even one-fourth of what is budgeted in parliament and Assembly for them. Poor infrastructures coupled with poverty-stricken villages of the hill districts are the glaring picture to testify this. The same has spread even in the urban town and villages. Despite availability of multitude of funds,
there is still dearth of good infrastructures and facilities even in the district towns and in its immediate
villages.

And there is also increased in the number of security forces high-handedness in terms of fake killings and lathi-charge. Human Rights watch group has documented that since 1950, human rights abuses in
Manipur crosses 20,000. In 2009 alone, more than 25 cases of fake killings are being reported and the
amount is going to be much higher in 2010. And most of the victims are said to be innocents. But ironically, the same security forces have unable to check criminals who rule in the state. Besides that the cases of kidnapping and killing children have become higher. The environment in Manipur is not safe even in day time that none could envisage his fate the moment he steps out from his home.

Such lawlessness has encouraged corruption and crime in the state. There is a general feeling now that all politicians, barring a few, are for making money. The old respect for politicians is no longer there. Similar is the feeling about political parties since now they don’t go the people to solve their problems. But this is the most dangerous feature since healthy political parties and politicians are a must for the strengthening of democracy. Member of Legislatures change parties for only personal benefit. Politicians behave in such a manner as to prove that they have no ideology. Though in our constitution every citizen has the right to be elected to Parliament and Assembly, as the election now costs a lakhs of rupees if not crores, it is only for the rich and it is next to impossible for majority of competent but who couldn’t able to meet the amount to think of contesting elections. Moreover, rampant use of muscles power mostly by the rich and influential politicians has sidelined the others. Though election commission has taken some strict reformist measures, political parties are voicing their protest.

Due to fear and communalism more and more criminals and incompetent politicians are elected to parliament and Assembly as candidates of political parties. The glaring example is that the Parliament and state Assembly is helpless when thousands of innocent civilians were killed and rendered homeless due
to the hostility of NSCN (IM) against the Kukis in the 1990s.

Courts can help to provide some remedy but courts are so much overburdened with a number of cases that
it takes years to have a final judgment. Another problem is Manipur doesn’t have a separate high court
premises in the state and it is still under the jurisdiction of Guwahati high court. Thus it is so time consuming and costly to seek court procedures that the mass of people don’t go there.

The poor are unable to maintain themselves in the rural areas due to the agricultural crisis and insecurity in the regions; they are coming to the towns in search of greener pasture. But the government is unconcerned of their plights and sometimes got evicted them from their abiding place. This has happened mostly in Churachandpur and Imphal. But no political party takes up their cause as it seems too little for them case to deal with. And due to inflation, the price of household items has spiraled and it is none other than the poor who suffer most. The frequent calling of bandh, strikes and eco-blockade has further their grievances. While our politicians lead extravagant lifestyles, majority of small and marginal farmers couldn’t able to make both ends meet. It is certain now that if the trend continues, a time will come in the near future when poverty will rise and the government will be unable to suppress it. People have deep faith in democracy but such issues as mentioned here are fast eroding that faith. It is time that political parties reform themselves to restore people’s faith in democracy. The concerned authority should be circumspect in dealing the grievances of the masses and the need for refurbishing socio-political crisis is the need of the hour. Frequent spontaneous violent outbreaks are taking place due to the marginalization of some sections of the people. Various steps should be taken to ameliorate the precarious conditions of the people especially in the hill areas and to make it sure that any beneficiary should reach the right person. Otherwise it is not uncertain when it could result in a statewide violent attack directed against the democratic set-up if the present trend continues to exist.