Language of silence
First the targets were the goods laden trucks that plied on NH-39 for violating the indefinite economic blockade imposed by the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur and fully backed by the powerful United Naga Council. The reason for the economic blockade was ostensibly to protest the decision of the SPF Government to go ahead and hold the election to the Autonomous District Councils under the 3rd Amendment of 2008. This much is clear. The economic blockade was lifted on June 18, after 68 days of choking off the life lines of the State. That the suspension of the economic blockade was met with indifference by the affected people is understandable and by a decidedly man manufactured development, perhaps compelled by the necessity of the time, we have come back full circle again. The target remains same though the players are different now. If in the earlier case, trucks were attacked for plying on NH-39 for violating the economic blockade, what we see today are passenger vehicles and goods trucks confiscated, attacked and targeted for defying the decision of the Transporters' and Drivers' Council and backed by the powerful and influential United Committee Manipur, never to take the Imphal to Dimapur stretch of NH-39 again, unless the Centre fulfils certain conditions. The conditions laid down are not that important in this commentary, but it included, among others, foolproof security and a stop to all the illegal taxes collected along this route by some armed groups, including the NSCN (IM) which is engaged in a peace talk with New Delhi. The measures taken up against those who violate the NH-39 boycott call is capped off with a cla- rification and an apology in the form of advertisements in the State dailies ! We do understand the angst of the TDC and the UCM and perhaps it is also a reflection of collective outpouring of all the bottled up angst and frustrations of the people who have been at the receiving ends of economic blockades down the years. We also understand why the Naga bodies, such as ANSAM and UNC were deadly against the election to the ADCs under the 3rd Amendment of 2008, as their primary objective is a creation of a Greater Lim preceded by more autonomy under the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Amid these justifications tom-tommed by the two parties, one vital point that seems to have missed all concerned is the reciprocation of the people to the term boycott. In the run up to the ADC election, we saw an upsurge of violence with even the residence of the Tribal Development Minister, DD Thaisii being torched at Senapati. Those who chose to follow their conscience and conviction came under such a threat perception that they had to stay put in a safe house provided by the Government. The ADC election is over today, and judging by the manner in which a number of Naga candidates joined the fray and have taken the oath of office as members of the ADCs, can we really say that the election boycott call had the full backing of all sections of the hill people ? The Naga bodies had dubbed the election to the ADCs as enforced election. By the same yardstick then what term can one use to describe the course of action taken up against the candidates and the looming threat perception on them ? Enforced boycott ? The more one thinks of it the more ludicrous it becomes.
This same poser may also be raised against those who have raised the banner of “Do not use NH-39.” Attacking passenger vehicles, especially inter-district buses is something beyond our comprehension and it needs to be clearly spelt out whether the writ is applicable to inter-district movement of passenger vehicles. Suspending or forcing the suspension of inter- district buses or other passenger vehicles, means cutting off the very cord that promotes people to people contact. Our suggestion is, go take a look at the vegetable market at Nagamapal and one can easily see and understand the bonhomie amongst the women vendors, drawn from different communities ! This is the idea of the Manipur that we have in our mind. For too long, terms used to identify popular movement such as boycott, general strike, blockade etc have been abused and misinterpreted that today a boycott call is something which has to be enforced in the absence of any mandate from the general public. No one is free of this guilt and from Moreh to Mao and from Jessami to Churachandpur and in all the districts including Imphal East and West, terms like boycott or general strike are bandied about by some people, who have the muscle power to enforce it. The result that we see today is the fruit of the language that the people of Manipur have been using for decades-Silence. It is this failure to speak out and voice one's opinion, which has gradually led to the sidelining of public opinion or giving a totally misinterpreted meaning of public interest. The highway politics is sensitive and it is necessary not to view NH-39 or NH-53 as merely routes through which essential commodities are brought in from outside the State. Unfortunately, some elements who are against the idea of a Manipur as a political and social entity have been misusing the lifelines of the State to carry forward their agenda. In the process, the seeds of discord and enmity and distrust are sown and its cancerous effect is spreading. To unmask such pretenders, we have to unlearn the Language of Silence.