Turbulent transition – Moulding Manipur by eliminating inefficiency -

By: David Vumlallian Zou

Introduction: A new vision since 1991

“Even if you’re on the right track,” Will Rogers remarked, “you’ll get run over if you just sit there”. Since 1991, the pace of change picked up in India. The rhythm of life is becoming less predictable. Like many others parts of India, this applies to Manipur as well.

With the IT revolution, India gets increasingly integrated into the global village. The impact is felt even in a remote state like Manipur. The recent economic boom is mainly confined to urban centres, the new face of rising India.

The size of entrepreneurs and the “scooter class” is expanding rapidly. But rural India still remains largely untouched; it is tied to the “bullock cart economy” (in the words of Edward Luce). How can we deliver the fruits of development to all our citizens?

This is the greatest challenge facing the nation today. That will depend, to some degree, on the efficiency of local governments. We need innovative leadership and political will to achieve all the necessary reforms.

At the central level, India has initiated Economic Reforms since 1991 under P.V. Narasimha Rao. Our present PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh was also one of the brains behind the Economic Liberalization of 1991.

It was the milestone marking the beginning of the end for Nehruvian Socialism in India. Post-Reform India is inventing a new vision for itself. It no longer desires to be a mere spectator, but a player on the global stage.

The bloody beast of macho Nationalism

Now we are in the midst of turbulent transition. There are new problems, but there are new prospects. There are new challenges as well as opportunities. Change is painful and stressful; but we can make transitions less traumatic.

In Manipur, we often try to manage change by returning to a mythical golden past – which never existed. Of course, we can benefit from our recent historical resources, especially Indian secularism.

This is under attack by the forces of religious fundamentalism, including Hindu, Muslim and Christian fanatics. Intolerance breeds intolerance. Trust builds up more trust. Misguided nationalism or Hindu chauvinism can potentially derail the quest for dignity and prosperity by India’s teeming millions.

In Manipur, it is time to realize the dangers of macho nationalism. Today masculinist nationalism contests against inclusive open society. The choice is between old patriarchal tribal homelands versus a new vision of rainbow multi-cultural society.

What is our vision for the future? What is our “imagined community” for the brave new world of the 21st century?

Militancy in the Northeast creates an atmosphere of fear, insecurity and violence. Militancy breeds terror, and blocks trade. If such chaos prevails too long in Manipur, militancy will pop up hideous gangsters and warlords at the top of our society.

That is the outcome of anarchy, for instance, in sub-Saharan Africa. Exceedingly rich in natural resources, this part of tropical Africa is haunted by nameless battles, needless deaths and pornographic poverty. Ultimately, human identity is about past roots as well as future routes.

Our homeland narratives, based on the myth of ethnic purity, had resulted in too much bloodshed.

Here is a quotation from W.B. Yeats, the Irish poet:

Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart
O when may it suffice?
Was it needless death after all?

Nehruvian Socialism: A failed experiment

Nehruvian secularism, no doubt, is an admirable achievement. But Nehruvian socialism had been an obstacle to our economic growth. It protected India from the outside world in pursuit of self-sufficiency. That was a comforting but self-destructive journey.

That was, no doubt, a sentimental reaction of British rule. Good politics, but bad economics! When India became independent in 1947, Nehru sent a team of planners across the Himalaya to the then Soviet Union. The Indian team was evidently impressed with the Soviet experiment.

So, we adopted a planned economy in imitation of the Soviets. Thus, India lost its economic freedom. Our economy was chained by its mammoth bureaucracy – notoriously known as the “licence-permit Raj”. Nehru tortured enterprise culture in the name of socialism.

Private enterprise was a suspect, and it was persecuted by corrupt bureaucrats. Regulation became more important than production. Entrepreneurs spent more time queuing for license than manufacturing products; they spent more time bribing officials than hiring workers.

The system produced a painfully slow growth, humorously called “the Hindu rate of growth”. It averaged 3.5% growth during the first three decades since Independence. But population explosion at the rate of 2.3% practically neutralized even the feeble growth we achieved.

Meanwhile, our eastern neighbours in Southeast Asia (especially China) took off – averaging 10% growth. So, Nehru’s socialist experiment was a colossal disaster.

It drove the country into poverty trap. Ironically, the experiment was carried in the name of the poor. Soaked in Fabian socialism, Nehru fancied that economic growth came from dogmatic plans, not pragmatic profits. His Fabian dream soured.

Translated into reality, it turned out as sarkar statism – not socialism. By 1991, India was in deep foreign exchange crisis – left with just US $1billion (compare it with $140 bn. in 2006). Then the threat of bankruptcy shook our national confidence.

India became one of the worst places on earth to do business. Outside India, the Soviet experiment too faced a crisis. It eventually collapsed like a house of cards in 1991. So, the Cold World came to an end, leaving the USA the sole superpower.

India was forced to re-define its place in the new world order. The choice is to reform or perish! India took the risk of reform – but at elephant’s leisurely pace!

Look East: China’s economic miracle

Since Independence, India was fatally obsessed with its western neighbour, Pakistan. This obsession led to border wars, expensive defence, and even nuclear contest. This is a betrayal of hope for the poor in both counties.

But at India’s eastern frontier, an economic miracle was happening in China; and it has become the fastest growing major economy in the world. Today China is called the “global workshop” experiencing “the second Industrial Revolution”.

The architect of Chinese reform, Deng Xiaoping declared, “To get rich is glorious”. He brushed aside decades of Communist ideology, and embraced market economy in 1978. “Black cat, white cat”, said Deng, “all that matters is that it catches mice”. This sharply contrasted with socialist Nehru, who said, “Never talk to me about profit … It is a dirty word”.

Under Nehruvian socialism, profit-consciousness made no sense. Efficiency and productivity were not in the socialist dictionary. Wealth-creation was considered a shameful enterprise. Perhaps it was the product of a Brahmin priestly mentality.

Such value-system conditioned the Indian mind to see nothing beyond the new priesthood of modern India, the Kafkaesque bureaucracy. This priestly white elephant carried only the privileged few on its back, leaving others behind with little opportunity.

So, the architects of the Economic Reforms were sweating to remove this mammoth elephant. Eliminating inefficiencies is a national priority. When the Efficiency Movement (1890-1932) emerged in the USA, journalists (called Muckrakers) and universities were important players.

The project was to expose official corruption, confront organized labour and eradicate inefficiencies. The Wisconsin University, for instance, was a source of efficiency, ideas and expertise for the progressive movement. The formation of Efficiency Societies too built up public support.

Interestingly, this coincided with the birth of Scientific Management as a new profession. Roose-velt, the American President, remarked, “The conservation of our national resources is only preliminary to the larger question of national efficiency”.

The power of productivity

In post-Reform India, it makes more sense to benchmark our state economies as “smart, smarter and smartest economies” instead of underdeveloped, developing or advanced economies. In a market society, employment alone has no meaning without productivity.

Only the “power of productivity” can improve our quality of life and make poverty history in India. For instance, consider the scandal of fake teachers’ employment in Manipur. This is draining our taxpayers’ money in unproductive investment.

The old regulations invented under Nehruvian socialism are driving away “endu-preneurs” instead of attracting them. If we want quality education, why should the Manipur’s license Raj refuse to give permit for CBSE affiliations to private schools? What is the need for chaining the private sector to our inefficient education management at Imphal?

Meanwhile, there are attempts to yoke modern education with insular ethnic politics in some parts of the hill areas. Students in the hill areas justifiably resented the inefficiencies of state-run educational institutions. In fact, most schools in the hill areas are in appalling conditions. But, as a strategy for educational reform, the recent syllabus squabble in the hill areas did more harm than good.

It appeared like the hijacking of genuine educational problems to serve narrow ethnic ends. Such an insular imagination neglects the real problems while opening more Pandora boxes. Everyone knows that our Government schools (like other public enterprises, the PWD or PDS) are monuments of proven inefficiencies.

What is the rationale for maintaining such high cost and poor quality services? It is time to search for innovative models of educational management. Public-private partnership is a possible option to enhance our educational quality.

De-licensing education can also spur competition, which, in turn, will drive away inefficient institutions from the market. A supporter of Efficiency, J.D. Rockfeller once said, “To help an inefficient, ill-located, unnecessary school is a waste …”

Multi-ethnic Manipur: Present predication

As a follow-up to Reform, India became a member of the World Trade Organization on 1 January 1995. Border trade with China was re-opened on 6 July 2006. India has become an important player in global trade today. It seems our economy was getting unbound.

Chains gradually removed, India is taking off. Growing at around 8% GDP, it becomes the second fastest growing major economy in the world today, next only to China. If predictions are correct, the Indian economy is projected to grow at 8% for at least another decade.

Gurcharan Das, the author of India Unbound, predicted that by 2025, India’s share in global trade could increase from 6% to 13%, making it the third largest economy in the world. Assuming that population growth is under effective control, the engine of growth will be able to make poverty history within a few decades.

Manipur was badly prepared for the changes opened up by the Reforms in 1991. Till now, its response to the Reform was reactionary. At times, current events in Manipur make a depressing reading. But its problems are not insoluble. Indeed, entertaining a defeatist view at the outset can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

At present, Manipur, land locked and industry-less, has no viable economy. As a special category state, it receives 90% of its budget from New Delhi. With an annual budget of about Rs.900 crores, Manipur supports roughly 85,000 redundant employees. That eats up about Rs.750 crores of the state budget.

Frequently, it is not even enough to maintain the bulky and rusty solkari engine. What money is left for development? Very little. Instead of cutting down the size of this economic beast, the Government borrow money from the RBI to feed it.

Borrowing for development is fine; but borrowing to pay salaries is unjustifiable in the long run. It is a classic example of bad management – putting tax payers’ money down the drain. Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of Imphal Free Press pithily puts it, “Life in Manipur has been reduced to living from one RBI ban to another” (2002: 129).

The way forward is to cut down unproductive spending and plough in more resources for development of critical infrastructures. Fighting inefficiency, no doubt, involves confronting official corruption.

Meanwhile, poor infrastructure makes Manipur very unattractive to outside investors. Mindless violence and our bandh addiction send wrong signals to the outside world. Our bandh madness stifles productivity; it cripples entrepreneurship and economic freedom.

Democratic modes of protest (eg. public rallies) are acceptable; but bandhs are indefensible. Given its baneful impact, declaring it illegal will be welcome.

Further, let’s put a full stop to the tribal dream: “Me and my brother against my cousin; me, my brother and cousin against the outsider”. Our policy makers can still push hard to make legal reforms to make Manipur more investment-friendly and consumer-oriented.

In post-reform India, the participation of the private sector and FDI can show the path to “best practice”. Attracting private investors is the only way to increase productivity and real income. Vibrant competition can help us set up new standards of excellence.

State-funded development projects are simply too little; delivered by rusty bureaucratic machines, they are always, too late. Even if everything works efficiently – which, of course, is unlikely – state planning alone cannot keep up with the ‘revolution of rising expectations’. Past experience tells us that Socialist-style planning will not take us very far.

The outdated jobs created by our politicians under the Socialist regime have become deadweight that pulls down the economy of Manipur.

Such state employment takes away people from “wealth creating jobs”. It is not employment, but employability, that holds the key to economic recovery. Employment without productivity helps nobody; it cannot deliver real human development. Begging more money from Delhi or pumping more cash into Manipur thoughtlessly may only push up inflation.

Inflation is too much money chasing too little goods. This is bad for everyone – especially for poor consumers. No wonder the standard of living in parts of the Northeast (especially Assam) have fallen recently – despite huge injection of cash from Delhi. The solution is to invest our limited resources in profitable enterprise. How can this happen?

The answer: by transforming our interfering “welfare state” into an enabling “managerial state”. That will involve inspiring public imagination on a new learning curve. A learning society can no longer take comfort in defiant arrogance, victim narratives, nostalgic homelands, or plotting revolutions. Stop the blame game and face future challenges.

Manipur hill areas need good governance, local democracy and more autonomy. At present, our inaccessible ruling class (Meitei as well as tribal elites) refuses to devolve power to the hill areas. They have a firm grip of all the purse strings from “distant” Imphal. Younger generations of the hill population hardly remember the last time MDC elections were held.

Nothing noticeable exists in the hill areas except, of course, the tithe-collecting Church. Even the autocratic chiefs practically abandoned their villages. Though some scholars tend to romanticise chieftainship, it is better to admit the feudalist and undemocratic nature of this institution.

These chiefly parasites are on sanction alert for state funds. They loot their villages from the nearest district headquarters. So, for a typical tribal villager, MDC was a fading memory in Manipur hill areas. MLAs are fleeing election ghosts bound for “distant” Imphal. The autocratic chief is the local big fish which feeds on the little fishes within the village pond. v Unlike the distant and invisible MLA, the village chief is the intimate and visible enemy of the powerless poor (BPL wallahs). The absence of local polity (if not local democracy) created a vacuum. That was largely created by the collapse of the village authority and MDC many decades ago.

However, in the 1990s, the void has been gradually filled by gun-trotting tribal youth. They became easy prey of ethnic nationalist ideology invented by some disgruntled and power-hungry tribal elites. Ethic nationalism assumes racial purity (if not superiority) while employing a victim narrative.

It thrives on male violence, gun culture and the corpses of its sacrificial victims. This type of nationalism sees the world simply as black and white, insiders and outsiders; it has no tolerance for pluralist identity or ideological differences.

This doomsday has been projected as paradise by most militant nationalists in the Northeast. Despite the promise of moon-lit homelands, militant nationalists in Manipur recently acted like terrorists – bombing temples or planting landmines. This should be an eye-opener.

Preoccupied with nightmarish visions of “sovereignty”, we turn a blind eye to the simple needs of the common citizens in the hills. They are deprived of their PDS support. This public robbery is committed by Manipur’s ruling regime – corrupt politicians, inefficient bureaucrats and insurgent thugs.

The common citizen needs simple things like PDS food, peace, education, health care, transport and (above all) local democracy. The ruling regime remains united in denying these simple needs to our deprived citizens, especially in the hill areas.

Moulding Manipur: The shape of things to come

Manipur will hopefully be connected by a new 97.9 km long railway line to mainland India by 2010. Since this Jiribam-Tupul railway is declared a “national project”, the work may not be unduly delayed. Once the project gets completed, this railway line will open new economic opportunities. Export-oriented industry will become more viable.

Manipur may finally get rid of its label as a “remote place”. Travel by land will be cheaper and easier. This will cut down prices of commodities. In the future, this railway has the potential of connecting Manipur to South-East Asia.

Meanwhile, roads within the state need to be improved to reap full benefit from the Jiribam-Tupul railway. Official corruption is a big fan of PWD pot holes on our roads. Right to Information and a proactive local media will be useful allies in this struggle.

Scraping or privatizing the PWD may be the surest way of fulfilling this mission. Another possibility is handing over our state highways to BRO or other efficient agencies. Yellow engineer, brown engineer, what matters is that we have reliable roads.

Goods roads build confidence; it integrates minds – not just territories. Let our valley comrades pay heed! In recent years, the proudest achievement of Manipur is the satisfactory progress of irrigation work.

This will boost our agricultural productivity. In other words, double cropping will increase food production. That is what a hungry state like Manipur exactly needs. Plenty of affordable or cheap food grain! Ultimately, irrigation dams are preconditions for any green revolution.

Khuga Dam will soon be fully operational; it has the capacity to irrigate 15,000 hectares of land within 20 kms of the dam site. Besides enhancing Lamka’s tourist attraction, 1.75 MW of electricity and 5 million gallons of drinking water are bonuses for the local population.

The Thoubal River Project is more than twice the size of Khuga Dam. It is estimated to irrigate 33,400 hectares of agricultural land and provide 7.5 MW of electric power. A much smaller Dolaithabi Barrage Project will also irrigate 7,545 hectares of land. In public interest, we should ensure that the projects are completed by its targeted deadline in 2008. While we lament the inefficient handling of compensation matters, the projects must go on without hindrance by vested interest.

Of late, India’s high growth makes more money available for development projects dotted all over the country. There is more cash to build our critical infrastructures – roads, railways, education, health care, etc. Wealth creation is the national passion for many young Indians.

In Manipur, we cannot afford to shut our doors to outside competition. Such a policy will disturb the flow of people and products. We need a vision that is forward looking and outward looking. So, recent demand for reviving Inner Line regulations (or any British colonial relic) makes little sense.

That will amount to turning the clock back. Protectionist slogans appeal to local sentiments and insecurity. However, legal safeguards about indigenous land rights and electoral censuses can be reconciled with the need for economic reforms. The natural beauty of our land is one of our most marketable resources. We need good strategies to attract tourists and investors.

Concluding Remarks

For all its cost and risks, embracing market reforms remains our best bet. It is a matter of stretching our imagination – searching innovative visions. Do we dare to imagine something different from hackneyed homelands? At the heart of enterprise culture is risk-taking, not state planning.

So, it is desirable that we privatise some sectors like PWD, PDS, banking, telecom, post office, etc. These services can be provided by the private sector at cheaper cost, but higher quality. That will save the tax payers’ money.

But intervention from an ‘umpire state’ is needed to uphold the rules of the game so that everyone can play fairly and safely. At present, the state is busy doing inefficiently many things it should have privatised; but it shies away from many state duties it is supposed to do.

Ours is not a democratic failure, but poor management.

Or, shall we rather say, lack of imagination?

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE

No First or Second Citizens in our Society

S.Thangboi Zou, Shillong

I just don’t see any reason to regard anyone in our community a ‘first or second class citizens’ or as such. Since I strongly believe that there is no social class or hierarchy in our society/tribal. Instead they (the Clergies) are highly looked upon as the shepherds for the people, so much so that they are the one to set exemplary of good conduct and morality to their sheep. Their role in the society is so important that most of the people just believe and uphold whatsoever they teach, especially in the remote areas.

There is no question of being looked upon as ‘the puppet of society’ excepting by some unscrupulous politicians for their vested interest. If that is the case, they themselves are to blame, because they choose to be done so. The power and extent of emotional influence they ingrained to the perception of the people is sometime too awesome and too awful, that the letter frequently do not know what they are following and what/which path they are taking. What I want to mean here is, what ever they say is full and final, perhaps divine!!! for the illiterate and uneducated people to the extent that e.g. a red chicken can be seen as black in color if the pastors, Evan, etc. say so. So, it would be highly advisable that they take the precaution more carefully among the vulnerable citizen of our society. This is one important factor of church disintegration and fragmentation engineered by many fanatic leaders/clergies, where the laymen can do little with their limited capabilities and knowledge, and are brainwashed by the former.

The argument about functional idea in our context is debatable. The factionalist Mr. Weber strongly views that there is Structural differentiation in the society in the sphere of Roles and Function, which is opposite to Marxist view of egalitarian society. Indeed, there can be no fully egalitarian society on earth as well as in Heaven (for each person shall be rewarded according to his/her labor). But, Weber furthers that Worship and Religion are essential to social cohesion and stability (besides, seeing heaven/salvation) . There are two main essences in this world for mankind: Society/Secularity and Religion. It is not wrong to argue functionally that one should not involve in the other, but it is equally not wrong that one should look to the other as an example and not wrong again that both should go hand in hand. One should remember that they have mutual and interactive relationship in a rather small society like ours. Something that takes shapes in one sphere gets reflected in the other end, so can’t really escape and get rid of the other. This shows the organic relationship of the Two. Let’s expect our theologian-clergies to put this essence into practice…. ????

Looking back to our problem, we should well remember when and where we humbly began. Everyone of us including our Zou frens from USA,UK, CAnada, etc. all begin from our land- may I have the honour to call it ZOGAM. Just living temporarily as migrants (legal or illegal) outsides should not indicate that “we are on the verge of going beyond our socio-cultural arena”. It merely reflects the character of an upstart and immature being. We are bound to return to our land one fine day. Then, do we mean we have to reintroduce and come to terms with new socio-cultural arena once again? If that is so, it will be the most ridiculous things and implies a sense of perceptual immaturity on one’s part.

Anthropologists emphasize that there is no superior or inferior culture, each culture is unique in its own way (even God doesn’t do). Only what matters is adaptability and adjustability, which means that we can’t practically go back to our ancestral cultures and try help adapt in this modern culture. Of course, almost every one is westernized at present, perhaps, more in the outlook and material, but we ought not to forget that we have our own rich culture-folks, etc which is inherited by our forefathers and mothers, which I (not by anyone in the universe) regard superior or inferior to the Americans or Europeans, or Orientals or “mainland” Indians. Culture is Culture. And it’s our duty to preserve it, if we think we are educated.

The administration of our Church is of course democratic and autocratic too. This in fact is the ambience of the clergies and if the Church has adopted/become such character, who is to blame? Is not the jurisdiction of the so called clergies? or whom would you and I blame? The farmers or the laymen in the villages? No. If the institution of the church is corrupt, who is the corrupt person? The workers, and who are the workers? In that matter, can we expect any right thinking and alert citizen of the concern society to remain a mere spectator without murmuring a voice? And we like to question, how long all have to keep mum, while some sections are playing around something ‘nasty’ with the people and worse of all in the Name of Almighty? It a blessed thing that the concern authorities amicably solved the problems while some personalities/ clergies( not all) in our Churches happen to go astray, by suspending them of their role, and best of all to Almighty who knows so well
how to deal good with them.

Lastly, not least, we would like to express our humble view that, we have high hopes on our new generation theologians among our society, to whom we, the sheep, look forward to a new and transformed society/churches ushered by them with the capabilities they gain not just from their study of the environment and culture they used to be in, but above all from God who anoint them. We can’t ignore the fact that they have immensely contributed for the uplift of our society in letter and spirit. But still go on expecting that they may be the exemplar and precedents to the poor and downtrodden people, “who look and expect to them anything and everything”. Let them be the sources of all spiritual knowledge and salvation to the people. Above all, warn them, not to misuse their ‘functionally awarded roles and positions’, otherwise, face the annoyance and wrath of the people and most of all God almighty.

Just personal views, thanks.

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE

Culture & Customs

Khai Minthang

Let me take some time to elaborate my statement of “we are on the verge of going beyond our socio-cultural arena.”

First of all, it would be wise to know the differences between culture and custom. I think culture, in its nature, is dynamic and elastic whereas, custom is much more about ‘tradition like law’ and lacks elasticity. We have quite a lot of priceless and matchless customary practices that have been inherited from our progenitors. That is our inherent culture and custom for being an ethnic group.

Look, let’s go back to a couple of decades and see what our progenitors’ socio-cultural practices looked like. Their occupation and profession were confined to agriculture and its allied occupations. It’s undeniable that almost everything was agro-based. Young folks were trained for the same occupation.

Rochunga Pudaite, in his book entitled “The Education of the Hmar People” has observed, “He learns to share, to play, to co-operate and to conduct himself before he is called upon to shoulder public responsibility. He cannot be selfish in such a family setup, and corporate life of the most congenial type is cultivated. From sunrise to sundown he is surrounded by educational activities and processes.” “The girls received training for one purpose, to become wife and mother. The very little girl had to learn to cook and help her mother. In her own home, she took part in all the other household tasks and learned to sew, knit, spin, weave, husk grain, prepare food, sweep and clean the house, and take care of the younger children so that, by the time she reached marriageable age, she was fully equipped with skills to handle a household of her own” says T. Liankhohau, in his book entitled “Social Cultural Economic and Religious Life of a Transformed Community.”

Transitional Era:

In course of time, the weave of the Gospel hit our land and impacted entirely in terms of our social, economic, political and religious practices. The Gospel bearers brought the Gospel with their culture. They might not essentially impart their culture but, we received their culture in addition to the Gospel. Eventually, the Western culture set a deep root in our land. The weave of the Gospel swept our land and saw a seed of Western socio-cultural practices. A new system of education, literature, social values, economy, politics and religion have been set up. We just began to have a Primary, Secondary and Tertiary occupations with the impact of the Gospel. That’s the reason why I said “we are on the verge of going beyond our socio-cultural arena.” I made this statement as a Zou in general, not pointing my arrow to the Zous living in America or elsewhere in the developed countries. Don’t just try to stick to a single sentence. Try looking at the preceding and the following
sentences. You might also came across the statement “There cannot be full assimilation with the socio-cultural practices of a very distinct and different community or nation.”

Coming to the Theocratic set up of the church government, I strongly believe in the Theocratic system of the church government. As I said I am creationist, I believe in the creation of humankind in the likeness of God. Time and again, heretics tried to create God in their own image. They wanted God to say or opine what they said or opined. Nevertheless, I believe in the invisible Theocratic system and its catholicity in its nature. The law is the Bible and the key to access the King is prayer. We know we ascribe greatness and honor to the King when we say, “Thy will be done.” We know we are not perfect or divine but, we also know that we are imputed His righteousness given the fact the Jesus Christ has died for all of us. This is not a Mormonistic view of the Kingdom of God. It’s not a political kingdom. We also know that God punished the Israelites over and over and over again when the Israelites turned away from God and followed their secular leaders.

We need God fearing leaders in our community – religious, social, economic and political realms.

I knew our debates and discussions are progressive and vital for the development of our community and will eventually have an impact on our community. Thanks for taking time to read. God bless.

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE

THE LEIBAK OF TURMOIL AND QUESTION OF SURVIVAL

S. Thangboi Zou,
NEHU, Shillong

Manipur was called ‘The Jewel of India’ (Sana Leibak/leitang) by J.N Nehru, the first PM of India. Then, the state might have shown its worthiness to be labeled so. But now this ‘phrase’ has seen a stark paradox. What has become of our land- the land of jewel that once upon a time gained so much of glorious pasts-history, culture, society and polity? The land, that was proud of its cultural mosaics and natural beauty, has now been miserably scarred by turbulences. Murders, abduction, rapes, loots, harassment, insurgency, drug addiction, juvenile delinquencies, HIV/ AIDS and all sorts of social deviance have gained grounds and pervasive like wildfire everyday and every hour. “We are in the midst of turbulent transition” (David, 2006).

Our society has been moulded and ‘transformed’ by the characters of this turmoil. Societal and individual perception and disposition have been modified and co-inhabited with the disturbed environment. The civil societies and pressure groups – philanthropic organizations, students’ bodies, etc. who vowed to work for common good could not afford to find a way out to escape the situation. They find no option but to dance to the tune of some stronger and powerful ‘bodies’ while tackling the problems. Most of times, they are crippled by disunity amongst themselves, paucity of resources and strength, that, they are too feeble to stand and fight against the tides. And sometimes, no doubt, they fall prey of opportunism compromising their cause with something attractive coming their way.

On the other hand, the religious leaders are no exception. They are one most versatile and flexible human beings who are adept adjusting themselves with the existing space. Interestingly, they are genius in ‘fitting their heads with any cap’ that is being offered. Unsurprisingly, they have their own ‘principle’ which is ‘politics and religion are like that of mythical “dog and goat” story, that never go hand in hand, and based on this concept, they would always intend to keep themselves aloof from the ongoing turmoil. But, one wonders if anyone can really escape the turbulence?

The educated youths are the most frustrated section of society in the state where the existing systems of education and resources fail to afford them a decent job and living, that so often, are lured to join the other stream in life – militancy. So also, the uneducated and unskilled youths, attaining no content toiling the unproductive and uneconomical lands (and burning charcoal), look forward to any other shortcut means of survival. They too easily fall prey of ‘macho-nationalism’ in the promise to ‘sacrifice for their (imaginary) lands and people’. Here, they can definitely ‘earn’ their ‘living’ without much a work to do.

The leaders and politicians are none other than the exclusively ‘sanitized moneticians’ who are mad about gripping power and wealth. With no qualm, they can be labeled as the mastermind of all evils- who are talking of peace, unity, integrity and fraternity with their lips and throwing ‘meat among the hounds’ from their hands.

Manipur is the land of ethnic diversity. It is the land where various awarded nomenclatures and ethnic identities are extolled and given the top priorities, on which, all revolutionary groups based their object of movements. One may retrospect the armed movements in Manipur which are firmly rooted with the ideology of “mythical golden past-which might never existed”, and the ethnic identity and uniqueness of histories. But, is there any group of people whose history is not unique? This is indeed a rhetorical and selfish expression about one’s identity. One should not fail to learn that human identity which is about “past roots” could also prove to be a “future routes” (David, 2006). This adage can find its relevance in our present society where armed conflicts and feuds have taken heavy toll on the people’s life. So often, human lives worth less than animals when one-sided and self- instructed ‘laws of the jungles’ prevail and governed the people’s behaviors. No one seems
to realize the fact that none but only God can give life to human being, and this life worth more than the power, wealth and status that we are fighting for. How long we still have to sacrifice and how long we have to shed our precious blood fighting for our based ethnic purity, identity, homelands and hollowed vision of sovereignty? We have been illusioned by our ‘struggle’ so much so that so often we fail to recognize the faces of our brothers and sisters.

However, as a matter of fact, there is a rooted factor of this turmoil. Out of the many, we would like to point out the economic cause. Poverty is a curse and can be the root of all evils in the society. The cause of poverty is both intrinsic and extrinsic as well. In our regional context, lack of job opportunity is the main factor, which itself is the fallout of industrial backwardness. This problem has originated from within and outside the region. Many people might have held insurgency responsible. In fact, one can not afford to be one-sided and bias in drawing conclusion because the argument goes like the riddled ‘chicken and egg’ story – where none can be so sure of the egg or the chicken that existed first. Development and insurgency are the two mysterious duos- where one can hardly make judgment of. Backwardness and underlying poverty ultimately leads to insurgency in most cases; so also, insurgency and its resultant unrest makes industrial development impossible
thereby impoverishing the region (N.E.India). Both point fingers at each other.

Nevertheless, the problem – related factor is also much of extrinsic. The geographical location has much implication on the way to infrastructural development as well as the attention of the central government. It is said that the central government can hardly realized the existence of N.E.India had not there been insurgencies in the region. A Shillong based journalist, Patricia Mukhim once said that ‘insurgency has become the most effective instrument’ to bang the ear of the central government for the NE. The shrewd New Delhi, who is a genius in handling this type of issue, act tactically manifesting its indifferences and its lack of interest in solving the decade- old problems of militancy/insurgenc y.

Therefore, we may have to find some other survival strategies in this cut-throat competitive world. India has initiated economic reforms since 1991, ushering industrial liberalization. FDI have started spreading their wings in India since then. Economic growth almost touched 10% GDP recently. However, one indispensable question is how far it has benefited the NE India in general and Manipur in particular? With no second thought we can definitely say that it has not benefited our state Manipur. Unemployment, poverty and crime are the testimony of it. So, it is high time to stop short and deeply introspect over it.

In the midst of turbulent, somehow, the societal transition has to keep its pace. Of recent, the central Govt. has somehow turned its ear to the burning Manipur, though in a less intensity. In fact, we can not totally depend on the central Govt’s aid for development, which is hardly sufficient to support and maintain “the bulky and rusty solkari engine”. More than 80% of the annual state’s budget (90% from Central aid) goes to employees’ salaries; no money is left for developmental purposes. So far, some developmental activities have been initiated by the Centre for Manipur. Road and railway connectivity have been introduced in the state, i.e. Jiribam- Tupul railway line. Apart from the existing dams, the newly coming up has a promising future in the way to agriculture development and power supply for the people of Manipur. The Thoubal river project and Tipaimukh dam project are other leviathans giving signals to development in agriculture, industry and tourism. Moreh,
which is officially the centre of international border trades and other potential trading hubs such as Behiang (Singngat) have given a positive signs of boon for the people in future.

There is high potentiality to various investment (FDI, etc.) in Manipur provided we the people change our attitudes (perceptions) towards them (welcome them). The most important thing to do in the first place is to broaden our outlook and open our ‘inner and outer door’ wide to usher in the wealthy investors from outside. Therefore, the need of the hour- peace and tranquility is the first step towards development and survival. That way, we can slowly, but surely solve the myriad problems of unemployment and poverty that has been inherited to us by the protracted unrest in our land.

Any comment: thang_zou@yahoo. co.in
————-

Xavier Nengkhanlam Adds…..

Manipur tambang ding ahilam nathei khol hileh Pu Nehru in nagen pha khollou getlou, agen dingdan kan theilou in “The future Hell of turmoil and gnashing of Teeth”
nachi zaw dingin gingta ing.

Khatvei vei ka ngaituana ah Kawlte leh Bengalite ngian (Chalak pilna) sangin Kol tah tahte ngian hat leh hiamjaw khat ata diai maw chi ngaidan kanei hun atam mama hi.

Manipur buaina tuam tuamte thamlou in Northeast pumpi a buainate i et kawi kawi chiangleh asung lang pansa hing na tawsawn khat umjing hileh aki lawm hi.Northeast pumpi buai in ei leh ei kihau in buai nanlei jong khawh sah sanga ahatmaw lang lang semkuang dinga kithawi, ui leh ui banga ei ki maitua sah a hing kihau sah India policy hoilou khat um ahi dante theisiam chiatlei khanlawna khat piangthei leh kilawm
sa ing.

Ahin lah laisiam leh mipil, neijou leh vaihawm siam leh mipi khual kawm a vision kichian tah nei Northeast ah tu sangin ahing tam zaw chiangin mipite lah ah jong
khanlawna hing um van, ihi chi a hichi ima vele, hichi sih lei hichi lou ding hi haia, hichi chi nawn da va ui u-le-naute aw chi hun khat zing ninou suah bangin
hing suah sam nalou ding am a chi ka ngaidan ahi mai hi.

I Zou thinker ten i groupsite a ahing gelkhiat thei jel ma bangun hun kikheel hun (Transition period) a ding nalai ihi manin ei khang (Generation) pen khang hampha leh khang hamsia ihi mai uh hi.

Gam khangtousa te tangthu en sim kawi kawi lei ama uh jong tu leh tu a ei dinmun a adin hun uh na tam mama hi.Akhua atui uh jong tulai eite dinmun a aum hun uh
na om tham hi.

July 18,2007 ni-in manga jong bat phah lou Chicago khopi lailung (Downtown) ah mite hinkhua khantou dante leh hausatnate munuam in ka vah kawi kawi hi.Tuanah Sears Tower innsawng sang 1996 tan a khovel a innsawng sang pen pen a kigen, tun alina a pang, tuami sawng dawn kava ka nuam kawita hi.Innsawng sang (Skyscaper) sang pipi tam mama ahi manin heipen ahei chi jong kathei lou jiahin kapei na lang lang ah mite ka dong kawi kawi hi.Dahkal 3 vel nua in tuami Sears Tower kichina mun kava tungta hi.Dollar 18 pia in electric lift zangin atung dawn sang pen ah mi 50 vel tawh minute 3/4 sungin ka tungtou pai uh hi.Tuanah mun tuam tuam kimu in, khopi sunga innsawng sanga kigente inei lang peh ah kitung in, agal a Michigan diilpi lian mama leh atung a lawng neu leh lian laamte kimu hi.Tualeh khopi sung a meilengte, bus, car leh adang dangte neu nou nou in kimu giap hi.Mihingte pen kimu pha nawn lou hi.Ahin Cent 25 (Eilam ham leh seki) tang khat siahawm khat a ithun leh durbin (Binocular) jangin mun gamla pipi leh anei langa mi vah lele te kimu thei hi.Tuami ni-in khua jiing ahi manin ka lungtup bangin tuami ni a kagal mu phahna tan sanga
gamla zaw kamu thei sih hi.Chih chiangin kava ka kia diai chi koima getlou keiman jong kathei jou sih hi.

Ka gennop pen ahi leh tuami innsawng sang dawn ah Chicago khopi kisat (Established) dante, nidang lai Chicago khosunga teng mite khosah dante, a galhang (Hero) te uh leh tami khopi in tuasia tuapha atuah dante alim tawh kitah khe dim dem hi.Tuana lim kitahte thanuam tahin ka ban sim sim hi.Tuate lah a thulu khat Zou ham in letkhe lei “Nupinu bawng (Cow) in Chicago khopi haltum hi” chi khat kamu hi.Aw, vakon de chi
kawm kawm in tuana thupiang kigielte kasim sim leh a tangthu tam bang ahi hi.
“Nupinu (Amin ka manghil tazuai a..) bawng (Cow) khat in khonvah kide (Lighted lantern) khat palpua kha ahi manin, tuana pansan mei hing kipan in Chicago khopi
phelzaw dingte hilou khopa nithum akat nua in Chicago khopi tum dil del hi.Tuanah Water Tower (Tuidaw sang) mai mai kang lou hi” chi kasim kha hi.Tuami sil dahuai tuahun lai ading in leitung kiliing sah jou thusia lamdang akigen pente lah a khat ana hi hi. Tua kum ahileh 1871 ahi a, a Khopi katsung mawng mawng October 8 apan October 10 tan ahi hi.

Kalung a hing kilou sil tampi aban ban in hing kijom tou den den hi.Singngat ka neu pianna ahi manin, tam khua ana kang jing pen keiman jong tamvei tah kana mu ahi manin Chicago khopi katdante tawh ka ngaitua chiang leh, midang tu a i phah joulou te jong Singngat te banga na buai tham adan veve vemaw chi ngaidan atha in kanei law hi.

Tuajiahin hunkhat chiang leh tu a i dinmun hing kikheel sam nalou ding ama.Anai pena gending in Mizoram jong abuai lai-in anah buai sam vele.Ahin tuchiang leh gam thoveng pen hitadi thei phot sam hi a chi bang ngaidan kanei jel jel hi.

Ahin tami hun kikhel hun a dingkha ei khang pen khang hamsia khang hun a ding ihi dante uh ka gel chiangin hasiat ahuai hi.Nanleh, ei khang ah tam bang thuah tasih lei itate khangin na thuah ding hijel ahi chiang leh amaute lungsiat huai isah ding dante sangin eiman ama haw thuah dingteng mah iki thuah mai jong amaute ading a ibawl thei pen, ei ut leh ut lou thu hilou a, himai lou ding amah unaute!

Khua jiing e, nanleh daibang ang then hunding hing um sam nalou ding ama!

Ichi adam liai liai tah zen zen leh entou jel lei ave maw guai!

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE

Lamka Post Ausgust 1, 2007

APL anntang zuakding

Lamka July 31: FCS Depertment in zingchiang August 1, 2007 zing dak 10:00 apan sunnung dak 3:00 tan Lamka Police station kiang a FCS Mobile Shop leh SP/CCpur Office kianga FCS Mobile Shop ah Above Poverty Line (APL) Card neite ading in APL anntang zuakna neiding uhi. Hiai ah APL Card 1 ah anntang Kg.8 jel leitheih ding hi.

Inter School Games hunsuan

Lamka July 31: State Level Inter School Games Meet hongtung ding August 1-6, 2007 kikal sung neih ding a geelkholh a om pen lemtaanlouhna khenkhat ziak in ahunsuan a om hidan in DYASO/CCpur apan thutut kingah hi. Ahun leh amun ding bel awl a kitheihsak thak hiding inleng thutut kingah hi.

Cycle Workshop 1 kaangtum

Lamka July 31: Tuibuang a Radhakrishnan Foundation School kong a Mr. Ranjit Singh Cycle Workshop tuni zinglam dak 2:00 vel in akipatna theihlouh in kaang a Fire Brigade te sap himahleh meikuang nasatluat ziak in kangtum man hi. Hiai workshop kaangtum ah van tuamtuam Rs. 41,000/- man vel ding kangtum hidan in Fire Brigade te’n tuat uhi.

CDSU in Khawnvaktui zuak

Lamka July 31: CCpur District Students’ Union (CDSU) tuni zing dak 10:00 vel apan in New Lamka Area, Sagang Area leh Molnom Area ah Khawnvaktui zuakna nei uhi. Zingchiang in leng Teddim Road M/S BB Lal&Co. pansan in huaikiim nai a tengte ading in zing dak 10:00 apan in Khawnvaktui zuak nawn ding ua, Saikot leh akiimvel a khua omte ading in Saikot khua ah zingchiang mah in khawnvaktui zuak ding uhi. Khawnvaktui bel Litre 1 ah Rs.12/- jel in inkuan 1 ah Litre 4 zel in zuak uhi.

Treatment Launching Programme

Lamka July 31: National Vector Borne Diesease Control Programme nuai ah Malaria Department/CCpur saina in hongtung ding August 4, 2007 zing dak 11:00 in Synod Hall, IB Road ah SP+ACT First Line Treatment Project Launching programme om ding hi. Hiai hun zatna ah Health & Family Welfare, CADA, Labours & Employment Minister Ph. Parijat Singh in Chief Guest hihna toh uap ding a Power Minister Mr.Phungzathang Tonsing in Guest of Honour hihna toh uap ding hi. DC/CCpur Mr. Sumant Singh, IAS in leng hiai hun Functional President hihna toh uap ding hi. Hiai malaria damdawi SP+ACT bel North East a State tuamtuam te ah District 1chiat ah zat theih ding hi. Assam a Karbi Anglong, Arunachal Pradesh a Lohit, Manipur a CCpur, Meghalaya a Tura, Mizoram a Lunglei leh Nagaland a Dimapur banah Tripura a South Tripura te kia ah zat hiding in kigen hi.

Anntang tamtak pawkhia

Lamka July 31: HQ Veng a FCS Godown apan in zan in Singngat A/C Nominee in amau bialsung ading anntang truck 7 pawkhia hi. Tuni’n Thanglon A/C Nominee in amau bial ading anntang truck 7 pawkhia a, Tipaimukh bial a MLA Nominee in leng Truck 5 pawkhia hi. CCpur A/C ading leng Truck 2 puakkhiat in om hi.

Anntang hawmding

Lamka July 31: CCPur A/C MLA Nominee in Zenhang Lamka Hausa Mr. Letboi te inn a BPL anntang Quintals 181 akoihte zingchiang in Nehru Marg, Beulahlane, SA Road, Khuga Tampak , Zoveng leh Zenhang Lamka leh Mantop Leikai (Polling Station 31-38 kikal)te ading in zing dak 9:00 apan in hawmna neiding hi.

MTA Sangtak in zoukhia

Lamka, July 31: Mr V Haukhanlian S/o Pastor V Chinpau of Chimtung Veng, New Lamka in tuma zek in Bangalore University nuai a Christ College apan Master of Tourism Administration (MTA) 65.9% mu in zoukhia a, King Fisher Airlines nuai ah Cargo Supervisor nna mungal hi. Mr Lian in ahihleh, St Edmund’s College, Shillong apan BA (Sociology) sangtak in ana zoukhe ngeita hi.

Annhuan dan sinsakna

Lamka July 31: ICDS/CCpur nuai a Lamka Block, Tuibuang Block, Saikot Block leh Sangaikot Block sung a Anganwadi Worker leh Helper teng a ding in hongtung ding August 2, 2007 zing dak 10:30 in New Lamka YPA hall ah Ann huan dan toh kisai training omding hi. Hiai hunah Anganwadi worker leh Helper teng telkim ngai ding hi.

Deputy Speaker teelna August 2 in om ding

Imphal July 31: Ninth Manipur Legislative Assembly a second session, tuni zinglam dak 11 in Assembly hall ah kipan hi. Hiai hun ah, 4th Report of the Business Advisory Committee, 2007 kichi Chief Minister O.Ibobi in pom ding in Inpi ah luikhe mahleh, opposition lam apat O.Joy MLA in, Assembly a Deputy Speaker post awng a om toh kisai oppositon lam te piak dia ngen kawm in, hiai post luah tu ding teelna session sunga neih dingin phutna nei hi. O.Joy MLA in a gen beh na ah, Deputy Speaker post kichi constitutional post ahihban ah, parliamentary practise leh tradition dungzui in sawt koihdap hoihlou dingin leng gen hi. House makaitu O.Ibobi Singh CM in leng hiai tungtang Congress Legislature Party in hoihtaka genkhom na neita ahihdan uleh, Inpi a, atamzaw hoihsak ahihleh Deputy Speaker teel ding poi salou ahihdan gen hi.

Law Minister Th.Debendra Singh in leng hiai post poimoh tak himahleh tunitan teellouh ahihziak dan bu a hunchiam omlou ahihziak hidan in genchian hi. Hiai dungzui in, Speaker Dr.S.Budhichandra Singh in Deputy Speaker teelna session hunsung a neih hidingin puang ngal hi. Tua toh kiton in Assembly Secretary T.Joute in Bulletin Part II suah a, tua ah Deputy Speaker teelna August 2, 2007 om dingin thusuah bawl a, tua dingin nomination paper leng August 1, 2007 sun ma tan a piaklut theih hidingin taklang hi.

Chandra Sekhar suunna hun zang uh

Imphal July 31: Tuni zinglam a Assembly session ah India Prime Minister hingei (L) Chandra Sekhar suunna hun Assembly Speaker Dr.S.Budhichandra makaih in om a, tua hun a Chandra Sekhar hinkhua toh kisai in thugenna, Leader of the house leh Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh, Opposition leader, Radhabinod Koijam MLA, Ph.Parijat Minister leh O.Joy MLA ten nei uhi. Hiai te zoh in member tengin minute 2 sung dinsa in suunna hun zang uhi.

Assembly in Assam Rifle te gamtatna naktak in mohpaih: Privilege committee in AR te gamtatna suizui ding

Imphal July 31: Apaisa July 18, 2007 ni a, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ph.Parijat in official tour a Bishnupur district sunga Primary health centre tuamtuam, Oinam, Saiton, Kumbi leh Wangoo Ahanlup munte Health Servces a Additional Director, Family Welfare Additional Director leh Kumbi MLA N.Mangi toh va enkhia ahoh, a kiklam ua Wangoo Sagang mun a 7th Assam Rifle ten detained abawl utoh kisai leh tuamun a Major Nikhil Thakker kampau leh omdan kilawm lou toh kisai in, Opposition MLA O.Joy leh R.K.Anand ten tuni’n assembly ah Calling attention motion khat polut uhi. Hiai hun a O.Joy MLA in agenna ah, hichibang a Minister khat official tour a hoh India flag gari a leng kitak himahleh Assam Rifle a Major khat in aziak omlou a, detained abawl kia hilou a thudotna leh kampau leh omdan kilawm lou aneih in, mipi palai te suminsia leh parliamentary su mualphou ahihdan gen hi. Mawk a koihdap mailou a akituahpih action Army officer tunga lak ding in O Joy in Inpi ngen hi. Hichibang gamtatna pen breach of privilege of the house ahihdan gen hi. Dan dungzui in civil servant khat in mipi palai detained leh mat aneih leh ahun, amun leh aziak hoihtak Assembly Speaker atheihsak ding himahleh hiai dan zuih omlou ahihdan leng gen O Joy MLA in gen hi. Hiai toh kisai a Bishnupur police ten leng bangziaka FIR case chiamteh lou uhiam chih dotna bawl kawmin, Home Minister leh CM kiang ah, FIR bawlsak dingin O Joy in ngen hi. Army lam ten inquiry bawl ding achih lel uh hilou a court martial bawl ding ahihkei leh, civil court a trial bawl hoihding in leng ngaihdan gen hi. R.K.Anand MLA in leng Assam Rifles discipline neilou te zillai hoihtak piak kul hidan a gen in, Minister tunga hichibang gamtatna Army ten aneih theih ua leh mi nautang tung ah bangchi phet in a om ding uam chih dotna leng bawl hi. Calling attention motion polut ten notice apiak bangun, thil omdan chiangtak in Minister Ph.Parijat leh N.Mangi MLA ten leng Inpi ah puankhiakna nei uhi.

Ph.Parijat in agenna ah, official tour ahoh ding utoh kisai approval Home leh CM ban ah DGP kianga la ahihdan gen in, akuanlam ua bangmah chilou himahleh, akiklam ua AR ten gate honglou, gari horn tamvei tak mekkhum nunga gate hon hipan leh tuazoh a santry duty in a commander un kihoupih nuam chih jiaka, minute 10 val ngaksak a om uh ahihdan uh gen hi. Army officer kampau kilawmlou leh discipline neilou ahihdan genkawm in, mualphouna tuak ahihdan leng gen hi. Phungzathang Tonsing in leng hiai thiltung naktak a mohpaih ahihdan leh Assam Rilfe Major gamtat dan serious tak a ngaihtuah ahihdan leh, Army in hiai tungtang bangtan tunta hiam chih leh Sagang mun a Major pa omlai hiam, GOC in bang action lak neita hiam chih dotna Home Minister leh CM kiang ah bawl hi.

Chief Minister leh Home minister incharge pua O.Ibobi Singh in hiai thiltung toh kisai July 19, 2007 a, 57 Mountain division GOC Major General T.S.Handa, IGAR(South) Maj General B.K.Chengapa leh Council of Ministers, Manipur DGP tel a, genkhawmna ama office ah nei uh ahihdan gen in, Army authority in kintak a major tunga action lakna dia inquiry bawl ding thuchiam bawl uh hidan in gen hi. Hiai toh kisai ama Chairmanship na nuai a Unified Command meeting nawn chia leng pokhe ding ahihdan CM in Innpi ah puankhiakna nei hi. Calling attention polut te deihna bangin leh hiai thiltung toh kisai angaihdan tuamtuam tampi genkhawm ahihnungin, hiai tungtang in Inpi privilege sukha ahihna ah, Assembly a privilege commiittee a piakkhiak lemsa uhi.

House Committee casual mun awng hukdim hiding

Imphal July31: Manipur Legislative Assembly a O.Joy Singh MLA, Chairman, Committee on Public Accouts leh M.Manindra Singh MLA, Chairman Committee on Public Undertakings nuai a casual post khat tuak awng omte mun luahtu ding teelna August 2, 2007 in om ding hi. Hiai tungtang tuni a Department nih a Chairman ten’ Inpi ah move abawl uh ahi. Tuaban ah, Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh in leng Salaries and Allowances of Chairman of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Third Amendment Bill, 2007 introduce bawl hi. Hiai bill bel, August 2, 2007 chianga genkhom leh pass hingei dia gintak ahi. Tulel a HAC Chairman bel, Kangpokpi MLA (NPP) Thangminlien Kipgen hi a, Vice Chairman leng Tamenglong MLA Khangthuanang Panmei ahi.

BSc(Forestry) : Forest Department Govt. of Manipur in CAU a B.Sc

(Forestry) course zilna ding toh kisai in application sam lel hi. Lunglutna nei 10 + 2 (Physics/Chemistry/Biology or Mathematics) zousa general te 50% leh SC/St 40% muten’ form Rs 100 piakin Conservator of Forest/Amn & Plg. Sanjenthong apat lak theih dinga, August 7, 2007 tan in piaklut theih ding hi. Written test August 14, 2007 , 11am chiangin Forest Head Office, Sanjenthong mun ah om ding chih thusuak om hi.

HSLC expelled : HSLC Old course exam pailel ah tunin’ chindan hoihlou

ziakin Lilong ‘B’ centre apat Rollno. 7453 hawlkhiak a om hidanin Controlller of Examination, BSEM thusuak om hi.

ATSUM in demand pichinna dingin Govt. ni sagih sung hunpia

Imphal July 31: All Tribal Students Union, Manipur in govt. a demand tuamtuam aneih uh pichin nailouh te toh kisai pichinna na dingin, tuni July 31, 2007 apat sim in ni sagih sung Govt. hunpia uhi. Hiai hun sunga pichin ahihkei leh, ATSUM in August 6, 2007 zankim apat kiphinna pandingua, action banghiam a om leh ATSUM mohsak hitheilou ding hi’n tuni’n ATSUM Assistant General Secretary, Apao Haokip in thusuah bawl hi.

Hiai thusuak ah mipi te theih dingin point tamtak taklat in om a, tuate Govt. in kul leh poimoh asak dan a hihdingin leng taklang hi. MPSC Official rules leh procedure omte ‘Reservation for SCs & STs’ zuilou a, hiai toh kisai a hilhchetna dia hunpiak leng beita hi. Govt. in kintak a, asepsuah kei leh ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ chih suak ding hi’n ATSUM thusuak in taklang hi. Tuabanah, Special Secretary (Home) in July 19, 2007 a thusuah abawlna ah, Jemadar 22 te Subedar dia promotion piak ding chih ahi. Hiai ah leng reservation leh 100 point roster system paidan zuih omlou in, promotion 22 piak lak ah ST 5 leh SC 2 telkha hi. Reservation a 33% (31% ST leh 2% SC) chih himahleh ST 7 ding lai mi 5 chauh promotion piak in om hi. Thudang khat ah, Jemadar 31 leng Subedar a promotion piakna ding DPC hun tanpha bikhiah omta chih ahi.

Manipur Govt. in unofficial in MU a tribal te haksatna te enkai ding High Level committee bawlkhe ding chih himahleh tunitan step bangmah lak omlou hi. Hill District a contract basis teacher lakna toh kisai, Govt. in May 5, 2007 in Hill area contract basis teacher semdia lakte hun suksau dingin lemsa mahleh, hiai toh kisai official thusuah Govt. in bangmah bawl tuannai lou. Hun paisa ah ATSUM in kuahiam Nam khat in pau, tawndan leh laimal khansak nadia thilhih aneih te nang kei mahleh, midang te feeling sukha ding ahih leh kintak a hihlouh ding chih ahi. Hiai toh kisai in leng hun paisa ah singtang gam ah reaction omta hi. ATSUM thusuak in agenbehna ah, gari number laimal nih zangten’ singtang gam adia number plate dang zang ding in leng theihsakna bawl uhi. CDSU in CCpur district a dia PDS item amau share demand ziaka helna aneihte uh, Govt. in kintak a sukveng atup ding ahi chi’n ATSUM in theihsakna bawl ua, ATSUM in dai dide in enkhe hetlou ding ahihdan taklang uhi.

Manipur a NIT bawlkhiak na ding toh kisai in district tuamtuam a civil organisation leh student bodies ten amau district a dingin ngetna nei in gam tanpha thoh dingin gen mahle
uh, Govt. in donsak lou in mun kochik tak phaijang ah NIT bawl khiak teitei tupna nei uh hi’n ATSUM in gen ua, Central institution tuamtuam te phaijang chauh a omsak ding chih dan leh thupiak khauhtak om hiam chih leng Manipur govt. ah dotna bawl uhi.

NEWMAI NEWS:

Ukhrul ading Mid Day meal thelthang

Imphal, July 31(NNN): Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) in tuni in Government kiang ah lehkha pelut in Ukhrul District a ding ZEO Ukhrul in mid-day meal antang quintal 400 lakhia a, hiai toh kisai a muhding te’n mulou ahih ziak in Government in kintak a etkai sakding in ngen uhi. TKS thusuak in a genbehna ah, Chingai, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Kasom leh Phungyar ading mid day meal May, June leh July kha ading Ukhrul ZEO office in labei khin hidan in ngohna bawl uhi. TKS in ZEO Ukhrul nasepdan toh kisai document bukim nei uh ahihdan taklang uh a, Chingai ading sun-an 175.70 quintals, Kamjong ading 86.80 quintals, Ukhrul ading 66.50 quintals, Phungyar ading 49.70 quintals leh Kasom ading 44.24 quintals te ZEO in alakkhiak ni leh hun leng TKS in theivek hi’n taklang uhi.

Assam Govt. in CBI khut ah pekhia

Guwahati, July 31(NNN): ULFA pawl in a pimang uh Food Corporation of India (FCI) Executive Director P.C. Ram sihna toh kisai in Inntekte ngetna bang in Assam Government in Central Bureau of Investigation kiang ah piakkhiakna nei ua, CBI in suina panding hidanin thusuak kingah hi. Food Corporation of India (FCI) Executive Director P.C. Ram ahihleh, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) pawl in apimang uh hi a, Police in ava hutkhiak sawmna lam uah va kaplum kha laizang ua, hiai toh kisai thuguk kigolh ding in Ram sungkuante’n muanmohna liantak nei uhi. Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi in agenna ah, state Police pawl in Ram a thah uh hidan a thusuak om ziak a CBI khut a alut mah ngai ahi chi in, hiai in thutak a hon puaksuah a lamet thu leng gen hi. ULFA pawl in ahihleh, Ram taksa tung a lut Police te thautang ahihdan gen ua, huai bangbang thautang ULFA in tawi ngeilou hi’n gen uhi. PC Ram ahihleh, April 17 2007 in pimang in om a, June 30 in kaplup khak in om a, New Delhi ah July 2 2007 in haltum in om hi.

Hunchiam omlou Ceasefire di’n kilemna bawl

Dimapur, July 31NNN): Government of India leh National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) pawl in tuni in Dimapur mun ah Ceasefire toh kisai tel in thu tuamtuam houlimna nei ua, huai ah August 1, 2007 apan hunchiam omlou hiamkham thukhun neih ding in kilemna suaikai uhi. NSCN (IM) leh India Government in 1997 apan Ceasefire nei in, Europe gam bup tel in khovel mun tuamtuam ah kihouna tamveitak nei ua, Nagalim sung ah kihouna aneihpat na uh hi’n kigen hi.

Tuni zinglam dak 11 geih in Circuit House, Dimapur ah Indo-Naga Peace Talks kipan a, nitaklam dak 3:30 pm tan neih in om hi. Meeting zoh ahih toh kiton in, Centre Interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah leh NSCN-IM General Secretary Th. Muivah in joint statement bawl in, huai ah, kihouna lamzangtak in pai tou zel a, ceasefire toh kisai leh lemna thugen toh kisai ngentel tak in velna om a, lemna leh muanna kip taktak om na ding lunggulhna ziak in August 1, 2007 apan hunchiam omlou Ceasefire neih ding in lem kisa chi uhi.

Maban kihouna a lamzang semna ding ngimna leh gah kipah huaitak a suantheihna ding chi in Ceasefire monitoring cell suk hat ding in leng pawl nihte’n lemsa uhi. NSCN-IM Collective Leadership thusuak in agenna ah, hunchiam omlou ceasefire ahih toh kiton in India Government in akinlam a Nagate thil nget a sukpi chin uh kinep huai mahmah ahi chi uhi. India Government lam ahihleh, Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, Centre’s Interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah, Secretary Intelligence Bureau Ajit Lal leh Joint Secretary Intelligence Bureau Naveen Verma te’n makaih uh a, NSCN-IM lam ahihleh, Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, General Secretary Th. Muivah leh Kilonser (Minister) 20 tel uhi..

NSCN IM in special federal relation, Nagate a dia Constitution tuam vilvel, Naga-inhabited area te gamkhat ah gawmkhop ding chih te genkhawm kha uh a, himahleh, hiai toh kisai puankhiak bangmah om lou hi. Oscar Fernandez ahihleh, Minister for Developement of the Northeast Mani Shankar Aiyar ban ah official tamtak in leng zui uh a, IT, telecom, home leh Defence official te leng tel uh a, amau bel North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting ah tel hi un kigen hi.

Source: www.zogam.com

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE

Beautiful People – Real and Imagined

(Japan Diaries – 2)

By John H. Ruolngul

During my first week, I had the strange feeling that I was on the sets of one of the many Korean movies and serials that my family has become addicted to. Each new girl I passed by on the streets looked more beautiful than the last. In fact, I don’t recall having seen any ugly girl during my first week. It could have been the jet-lag or it could have been the sight of everyone I met on the street looking like they had just stepped out of the pages of Vogue or Cosmopolitan. It could also just have been the effect of that heady and dreamlike feeling one gets when one lands up in a society and place one has never been to before.

I recall my college days in Imphal in the early 80s when one day, on a whim, we suddenly decided to hitch a ride on one of the many goods-carrying trucks that plied daily between Imphal and Gauhati (as it was then spelled). Our destination was Kohima where one of my friends had relatives. So, early one fine morning, all four of us took a rickshaw to BOC and after much haggling and bargaining for our fares with the driver of one of the many trucks heading towards Kohima who normally stationed themselves there, we were on our way to Kohima. One incident in the otherwise uneventful journey which I vividly remember was when a monkey suddenly crossed the road in front of the truck just as we rounded one of the many bends on the road. Our driver suddenly braked and started to reverse on the narrow road. We had barely reversed when he changed gears and, without a word, we were on our way again. It was obviously something he had done innumerable times on his many journeys throughout the length and breadth of northeast India. Perhaps because of our driver’s timely action in quickly reversing his vehicle and thus averting bad luck, we duly arrived in Kohima without any further incident. Though it was summer and the sun was still high in the sky, we could feel a slight chill in the air as we got down from the truck. With some time on our hands, we made our way to the famous Kohima War Cemetery where we were greeted with the famous words “When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today”. After a quick tour of the Cemetery, we walked on down to Kohima’s main market area, ostensibly to check the goods on sale. But, to be frank, it would only be fair to admit that it was really the girls that we went to check out. During my first week in Tokyo, memories of pretty women walking down the streets of Kohima intermingled with the real thing on the streets of Tokyo. Perhaps it was the result of being cooped up for hours in the cockpit of that truck with our superstitious driver or the novelty of being in a new place. Whatever it was, every female we met and passed by seemed more beautiful than the last. As we rested our weary limbs on a roadside bench, I clearly remember the words of one of us who sighed, “Man, how is it possible that everyone we meet here is so beautiful – even the old ladies here have such rosy cheeks….” I recalled these words all throughout my first week in Tokyo because, like Kohima on that magical evening a long time ago, every girl looked more beautiful than the last.

It most definitely must be the scent, the aura, the strange and wonderful sights of a new society and place that brings out such a strange reaction. It was only after the first week that I began to notice some not-so-beautiful ones amongst the people I met on my daily commute to office and back. In Kohima, I recall that, by the second day, we were back in our senses. Though the Kohima girls were no doubt beautiful, more beautiful girls we had left behind in Manipur came into focus again and I for one thought I saw her face in all the girls I passed by on the streets. In Tokyo, the feeling lasted for about a week. Now I’m back to normal, back to my senses, though I must admit that they really are beautiful, most of them.

And practically no fatties anywhere in sight. The Japanese are probably the most fit people I have ever seen. In my two weeks here, I have seen less than ten people who could be called fat. The majority are rather on the thin/skinny side and from what I have so far seen, the percentage of fat people here must be 1% or even less of the total population. One of the reasons they keep fit must be the amount of walking they do. The Japanese seem to walk everywhere! It is common sight to see well-heeled and beautiful girls dressed in their best, as well as men, young and old, all suited and booted, walking everywhere. I meet them everywhere I go. On the Metro, on my forays into nearby areas trying to get my bearings of the place where we presently stay, on my two-hours walk from our residence to office and back last Saturday morning just trying to get to know the route. This also seems to be because of the high cost of maintaining a car in terms of various taxes running to the equivalence of at least Rs. 40,000 or more a year. This, apart from the price of the car, maintenance and petrol. Luckily for me, because of my line of work, I should be exempt from the taxes. The only reason I’m still walking and taking the Metro daily is that I still haven’t been able to buy a car.

There is an aspect of the Japanese that I find quite irritating and, in fact, quite surprising and somewhat incomprehensible in a way. They are so meticulous that quite a number of things get bogged down in details which really gets my goat sometimes. For example, it took more than seven days to process our ID cards, without which I cannot apply for a Driver’s License which would enable us to look for a car. It will take another ten days or so for the car registration. So here we are, depending on good ole leg power and the Metro to get around town. We cannot but help comparing this to Maputo where it took us a day to get our IDs. It also took about a week for me to get my name stamps made. First we approach the shop, then they give a quotation, then a cheque is issued, then they process the order, taking a few days to make the stamp, then they call and then someone goes to get the damn thing (with all the unseemly delays, you cannot but help call it the ‘damn’ thing). Compare this to India, where you can even wait as they make the thing in a few minutes, if you want.

Coming from a world where sometimes chaos is the order of the day, it is sometimes quite nice and refreshing to live in a city where order reigns supreme. But I do sometimes miss the chaotic traffic of Delhi. Here everyone meticulously follows all the traffic rules. Having driven all over Delhi on a daily basis for the last two years, I can see that traffic here is almost the exact opposite. Though I still don’t drive here, I can see that its going to take me longer to reach any of my destinations once I drive because there are traffic lights after almost every hundred metres which are, surprisingly, so un-synchronized that one has to stop at almost each and every light. And pedestrians are kings here. On zebra-crossings without the ‘walk/don’t walk’ signs, the pedestrian is king and will cross without looking to the right or left – the driver has to stop and give him way. Somehow, despite all the chaos, I will miss the driving in Delhi where one basically drove without a thought for the other vehicles on the road and pedestrians formed the scums of the roads, to be honked at and never given the chance to cross in front of you! Survival of the fittest or the most daring somehow has a nice, macho ring to it!

But, at the same time, pedestrians will also walk all the way to a zebra-crossing to cross the road, unlike India where people cross the road wherever convenient and zebra-crossings seem to exist only because the traffic rules say that they must be there. But still, one can occasionally see someone zig-zagging between traffic to reach the other side. Such people usually walk with a swagger once they reach the other side. It seems to me that in a country where everyone follows the rules, crossing the road where you are not supposed to passes off as a most daring act and somehow qualifies the person as some sort of a rebel! If only we had only such rebels back home!

Another aspect of the Japanese that is noticeable at once is their aloofness. I commute by the Metro daily and once I reach the station become part of the millions in this teeming city rushing to get to work. The really surprising part is the quietness of it all. Despite the hundreds walking to their destinations, you will hardly notice anyone talking. There are automated ticket vending machines where you just put in the money, punch the desired amount and the ticket comes out along with the change. The need for talking to anyone seems to have been completely done away with. On the streets, you find vending machines at almost every corner where you can get anything from cigarettes to drinks just by inserting money and pushing the right button. There are price tags on each and every item in all the shops, from vegetables to food, drinks, clothes, cosmetics, etc. You just take whatever item you want, go to the payout counter where the attendant tallies up your items as you watch, pay the amount which is clearly shown on the machines, and go home. There is simply no concept of bargaining here and one can buy the whole month’s necessities without having to utter a single word.

One of the common reasons for their aloofness given by most people I’ve talked to here is that the Japanese are generally very shy and hesitate to talk to strangers. Another reason given is that being a proud people and perfectionists, they are very reluctant to talk to others unless they can speak the language perfectly. Whatever the reason is, their aloofness is something that seems quite odd for a people known to be extremely polite and friendly otherwise. In Europe, for example, it is quite common to greet even strangers with a ‘Good Morning’ especially when confined in limited spaces like lifts, for example. But here, serenity and quietness reigns supreme in such situations as we each punch the desired floor number and go on our own ways.

Let me end with the one thing that reminds me of my childhood and home each and every morning as I get off my designated Metro station and walk the 8-minute stretch to my office. The sound of the-rengs chirping away among the trees in a small park that I cross each morning bring memories of those carefree, lazy summer days when we were kids without a care in the world. I haven’t heard their distinctive chirping(?)/singing(?) for the past 15/20 years or so and to unexpectedly hear them here on the streets of Tokyo each and every morning really makes my day. I’m sure they were put there by Someone high above to cheer me up and remind me of where I come from, even if I find myself in a city and a world that we as kids growing up in a godforsaken corner of the world could hardly even dream about.

Source: Delhi Thurawn (The Organ of the Hmar Students Association, Joint Headquarters, Delhi)
http://delhithurawn.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1073&Itemid=78

ZOLENGTHE: CONNECTING THE ZO PEOPLE