[Assam] A write-up by Udayan Mishra

[Ram Sarangapani]

C'da,

>*** You may have a point here. At 1273 words, one could indeed say it all
and then some!
>Question is what?

We all went to the same water hole for the information: ie. the AT article
by Prof. Mishra. You seem to indicate that Dr. Singh's stance against the
dikat wasn't anything laudable. Don't know about what others, but I think
(from what I read) Dr. Singh was brave and stood up for what he believed -
and lost his life in the process.

Whether, the rest of the world knows about Dr. Singh, or the fact that some
insurgents wasted his life, Manaipuris in general, seem to acknowledge his
stand. And now they protest, if for nothing else, at least to show some
solidarity, some show of unity against the insurgents.

>*** You being the seasoned observer of Indian-politics and  the hawk-eyed
guardian of Indian interests in assamnet, why don't you >tell us what you
see in Mishra's article that has been lauded not just by Uttam, but our
fellow netter and eminent  journalist >Padmashri Mukhim  aideu, as to the
point and relevance to the issues the writer agonizes about and  hopefully
contributes >something to their resolution?

I'm no astute observer if Indian politics nor do I carry water for India. I
just make calls as I see them, and go with the gut :). But just a cursory
reading of the article tells me that that Manipuri insurgents fill their
coffers by threats to Govt. employees. Most give in - obviously because of
threats to their lives.

Dr. Singh, the SDO, obviously didn't give a damn, and he got killed.

The author has been fair - he also mentions the Manorama case, and writes
about the Manipuri spirit of not being dampened because there is no outcome
(yet) in that case.

>**** I was hoping to see some solutions to the problem, at least a
discussion of.

Why should the article discuss or try to find a solution?  Specially a
"solution" that would be satisfactory only to some. This whole thing is so
damn crazy. What kind of "solution" would you have put forward?

Sometimes, C'da, there are no solutions or resolutions, and ordinary folks
in Manipur as elsewhere are only able to protest meekly on behalf of every
Dr. Singh or a Manorama.

--Ram


On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 4:00 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:

> Ram:
>
>
> At 9:07 PM -0600 3/1/09, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
>> Hi Uttam  & C'da,
>>
>> Prof. Mishra says it all ..
>>
>
>
>
> *** You may have a point here. At 1273 words, one could indeed say it all
> and then some!
>
> Question is what?
>
> *** You being the seasoned observer of Indian-politics and  the hawk-eyed
> guardian of Indian interests in assamnet, why don't you tell us what you see
> in Mishra's article that has been lauded not just by Uttam, but our fellow
> netter and eminent  journalist Padmashri Mukhim  aideu, as to the point and
> relevance to the issues the writer agonizes about and  hopefully contributes
> something to their resolution?
>
>
> And keep those hard words and phrases put of it, if you don't mind. We are
> not English majors here you know, much less St. Edmunds grads :-)?
>
> c-da
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> "I take this opportunity to pay my tribute to a young man who, unlike most
>> of us, dared to do what he considered to be right."
>>
>> If what Dr. Singh did wasn't courageous, the whole state of Manipur would
>> not have been galvanized into mass protests against the insurgents.
>>
>> A lot of ink has been used to displaying one's own righteousness. But who
>>>
>> challenged it?
>>
>>> Cheap thrills is how I see the essay.
>>> Was  anyone debating, doubting, gloating over, or otherwise condoning a
>>>
>> most senseless crime?
>>
>>> Even NSCN( IM) has >condemned the act, as the article says.
>>>
>>
>> Yeah right!,  and the article ALSO says:
>>
>> ***the NSCN(I-M) leadership has now been forced to distance itself from
>> this
>> heinous deed by at least publicly disapproving the crime.***
>>
>> The article must have touched a raw nerve somewhere.
>>
>> Such desensitisation pervades every sphere. But it never stopped anyone
>>>
>> from discussing "slumdog' and the >squalor.
>>
>> What can I say, Uttam ... for some desis here.. it was as if they had a "a
>> tingling feeling crawl up their legs" - t'was, what one might call - a
>> Chris
>> Mathews moment. They were gushing all over. :)
>>
>> --Ram
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 8:18 PM, uttam borthakur
>> <uttamborthakur at yahoo.co.in>wrote:
>>
>>  As Ms Patricia Mukhim had pointed out, 'insouciance' may be the problem.
>>>  Such desensitisation pervades every sphere. But it never stopped anyone
>>> from
>>>  discussing "slumdog' and the squalor. Also, there are certain things
>>> that
>>>  are really puzzling in human behaviour ( remember Yudhisthir approaching
>>> the
>>>  water hole in Mahabharata), such as, the 'impatience' that all
>>>  expected changes would come about in one's own life-time. There may be a
>>>  lull before the storm, who knows?
>>>
>>>  Why of the 'heedlessness' was not in the pale and ambit of Mr. Udayan
>>>  Mishra's write-up, or was it? Also, it should be understood that The
>>> Assam
>>>  Tribune restricts the length of an article to a given number of lines,
>>> words
>>>  and columns. Just as we are discussing Mr. Mishra's article, views may
>>>  crystalise and this may impel someone to act in a given direction.
>>>
>>>  So, i should think that patience and perseverence would augur well for
>>>  everyone of us, especially the adults.
>>>
>>>  Uttam Kumar Borthakur
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  ________________________________
>>>  From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>>>  To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world
>>> <
>>>  assam at assamnet.org>
>>>  Sent: Sunday, 1 March, 2009 9:59:52 PM
>>>  Subject: Re: [Assam] A write-up by Udayan Mishra
>>>
>>>  >  >It is about the death of a young civil servant in Manipur. I thought
>>>  assam netters would be interested. How efforts at good deeds are
>>> silenced by
>>>  guns: state as well as militants. So, you may try the link below......
>>>
>>  >
>>
>>>
>>>  **** I was hoping to see some solutions to the problem, at least a
>>>  discussion of.
>>>
>>>  A lot of ink has been used to displaying one's own righteousness. But
>>> who
>>>  challenged it?
>>>
>>>  Cheap thrills is how I see the essay.
>>>
>>>  Was  anyone debating, doubting, gloating over, or otherwise condoning a
>>>  most senseless crime? Even NSCN( IM) has condemned the act, as the
>>> article
>>>  says.
>>>
>>>  >
>>
>>>  The author leaves no doubt about his own balanced sense of justice by
>>>  painstakingly pointing out the perpetrators -- the insurgents and the
>>> state.
>>>  How more balanced can one get? He pays flowing tributes to the Manipuri
>>>  women , their  outrage and their fearless, ceaseless protests.
>>>
>>>  Somewhere here must be lurking what their efforts have brought them.
>>>
>>>  But why can't I find it?  Could it just be, therefore, that these are
>>> just
>>>  as meaningless rites too? And why should it be meaningless, fruitless?
>>>  Who
>>>  should they be looking at for results? The good folks or the folks?
>>>  Misra,
>>>  incisively points out who the bad guys are. But where are the good guys?
>>> How
>>>  does he see their role in these tragedies? Do they have any
>>> responsibility
>>>  too? Could it be that he would not get into that, lest it dilutes his
>>>  message?
>>>
>>>  Standing out, by its absence, is any effort by the author to look at, if
>>>  not suggest solutions,  into what leads to these acts of violence and
>>> death
>>>  and how to put an end to it. In that it is, at best, yet another lot of
>>> idle
>>>  blather.
>>>
>>>  cm
>>>
>>>
>>>  PS: If I am not mistaken, this writer authored an article a few years
>>> ago,
>>>  in which he exhorted the people of Assam to forsake the fantasy of the
>>> Seven
>>>  Sisters, that the Assamese had nothing in common with the Nagas, the
>>> Mizos,
>>>  the Khasis and so forth and argued the point that the notion of the
>>> Seven
>>>  Sisters is a myth.  Has he found religion, or am I the one who is
>>> confused?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  The tragedy of Manipur
>>>  - Udayon Misra
>>>  Dr Thingnam Kishan Singh, the young SDO of Kashom Khullen subdivision of
>>>  Ukhrul district of Manipur, demonstrated a rare sense of integrity and
>>>  courage as a civil service official. He decided to swim against the
>>> tide.
>>>  Unlike most other government officials who have been unquestioningly
>>> obeying
>>>  the diktats of the different militant groups, Kishan Singh stubbornly
>>>  opposed the siphoning off of government funds into the coffers of the
>>>  militants. Kishan believed passionately that development funds must go
>>> to
>>>  the people. And, he paid with his life for his uprightness and idealism.
>>> On
>>>  February 13, Dr Kishan Singh along with his driver, Aribam Rajen and a
>>>  mandal, Yumnam Token Singh were abducted from front of the Deputy
>>>  Commissioner's office at Ukhrul as they came out of a meeting. Four days
>>>  later their bodies were discovered at Taphou Kuki village in Senapati
>>>  district. They had been bludgeoned to death in a most brutal manner. The
>>>  NSCN (I-M) was suspected of
>>>  carrying out the abduction and murders and after initial denials the
>>> NSCN
>>>  (I-M) admitted that three of its cadres were involved in the incident.
>>>  Obviously, the militant outfit was unhappy at Kishan Singh's resolve not
>>> to
>>>  allow development funds from being squandered by the militants and hence
>>> it
>>>  decided to teach the young idealist officer a lesson. One was
>>> immediately
>>>  reminded of the manner in which Sanjoy Ghose was abducted and killed by
>>> the
>>>  ULFA because he demanded transparency in the release of funds meant for
>>>  rural development programmes at Majuli.
>>>
>>>  Had it not been the immediate public outcry following the discovery of
>>> the
>>>  dead bodies of Kishan Singh and his colleagues, the incident would have
>>>  perhaps been written off as yet another instance of militant killing in
>>> the
>>>  state of Manipur. Manipur has been in the throes of violence for several
>>>  decades now. But unlike many other states of the country where violence,
>>>  both by the State and by insurgent outfits have come to be accepted with
>>> a
>>>  stoic sense of resignation, in Manipur the people, especially its
>>> womenfolk,
>>>  know how to protest every such killing. Women's organisations like the
>>> Meira
>>>
>>  > Paibi have been in the forefront of such protests and women dressed in
>> white
>>
>>>  and silently protesting violence and the deaths of innocents is a common
>>>  sight in Imphal and other towns of Manipur. Not that these protests have
>>>  resulted in immediate results. Entire Manipur was galvanized over the
>>> rape
>>>  and murder of Thanjam Manorama by security personnel some years ago.
>>>
>>  >  Manipur's protest against that heinous deed was flashed throughout the
>>
>>>  country and abroad. But the culprits are yet to be punished. But the
>>> people
>>>  of Manipur have not allowed the callousness and collaboration of the
>>>  authorities in these inhuman acts of violence to dampen their spirits.
>>> They
>>>  know in their heart of hearts that they must keep on protesting against
>>> all
>>>  such acts, whether committed by the State or by the militant groups. So,
>>> the
>>>  Joint Action Committee set up to protest the deaths of Kishan Singh and
>>> his
>>>  colleagues has worked out an elaborate plan of action which is bound to
>>> keep
>>>  people's opinion focused on the need to secure justice and get the
>>>  perpetrators of this terrible crime duly punished. Who was Kishan Singh
>>> over
>>>  whose murder entire Manipur has been galvanized into protest? So much
>>> so,
>>>  that all organisations irrespective of clan and tribe loyalties have
>>> come
>>>  out in one voice in demanding that the criminals masquerading as
>>> militants
>>>  be
>>>  punished. The NSCN(I-M) which initially tried to disclaim
>>> responsibility,
>>>  has now said that it has identified the killers who happen to be its
>>> cadres
>>>  and that they are in its custody. With thousands of people demonstrating
>>>  against the murder in the Tangkhul Naga dominated Ulkhrul district, the
>>>  NSCN(I-M) leadership has now been forced to distance itself from this
>>>  heinous deed by at least publicly disapproving the crime.
>>>
>>>  Dr Thingnam Kishan Singh was no ordinary government official. In many
>>>  senses, he was a symbol of the young and resurgent Manipur that is
>>> trying to
>>>  come out of the clutches of almost endless violence. He had founded the
>>>  "Centre for Alternative Discourse" and was the editor Alternative
>>>  Perspectives, a scholarly journal which has created for itself a place
>>> among
>>>  the intellectual world of the country. Each issue of this highly
>>> perceptive
>>>  journal would carry an incisive essay by Kishen Singh and the topics
>>> ranged
>>>  from critiquing India's Look East policy to the economics of
>>>  underdevelopment. Sad to say, in Assam today we have few social science
>>>  journals which would be able to compete with the one edited by Kishen
>>> Singh,
>>>  either in the range of its topics or in the depth of its analysis. A
>>> topper
>>>  in English Literature both at the undergraduate and the post-graduate
>>> level
>>>  from the Jamia Milli Islamia University, Kishan started his teaching
>>> career
>>>  at Delhi's
>>>  Shyamlal College. But his urge to serve his own state of Manipur made
>>> him
>>>  give up that job and come and join the prestigious DM College at Imphal.
>>>  From there he moved to the Manipur University as a Lecturer. Then he
>>> took
>>>  the Manipur Civil Service examination and joined the administration. As
>>> the
>>>  SDO of a backward district, Kishen was bent on making development funds
>>>  reach the people instead of the militants. His devotion to duty and
>>>  unswerving loyalty to his ideals created problems for those who worked
>>> with
>>>  him. The Joint Action Committee has accused the Deputy Commissioner and
>>> the
>>>  Superintendent of Police of Ukhrul of having complicity in the crime.
>>> The
>>>  Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has already suspended both of them for their
>>>  failure to ensure protection to Kishen and his colleagues. Only a
>>> thorough
>>>  and impartial enquiry will reveal the truth of the matter.
>>>
>>>  It is rather strange that initially the murder of this leading
>>> intellectual
>>>  and Manipur Civil Service official went virtually unreported in the
>>> regional
>>>  press and media of our state. That much for our sentiments on the seven
>>>  sisters being bonded with a common thread! It was only after life in
>>> Imphal
>>>  and other towns came to a virtual halt because of massive people's
>>> protests
>>>  against the murders and curfew had to be imposed, that the regional
>>> media
>>>
>>  > gave some space to the incident. Quite often the regional media in
>> Assam
>>
>>>  rightly accuses the national media of blacking out this region during
>>>  moments of crisis. But, unfortunately, when it came to reporting this
>>>  particular incident involving the abduction and murder of a leading
>>>  intellectual of neighbouring Manipur, the regional press in Assam failed
>>> to
>>>
>>  > give the incident due weightage. Those who knew Dr Kishen Singh would
>>
>>>  vouchsafe for not only his unflinching loyalty to the common people but
>>> also
>>>  his urge to
>>>  build a new Northeast where there would be more meaningful interaction
>>> and
>>>  exchange between the different states and their people. The research
>>>  foundation which he had started, the journal he edited and the
>>> discussions
>>>  he initiated bear testimony to all this. He was one of those few who
>>> could
>>>  successfully get out of the groove of localised thinking and relate his
>>>  vision to happenings not only in this region or country but also in the
>>>  wider world. This is exactly what he stated in his editorial in one of
>>> the
>>>  volumes of his journal. His death in the hands of some criminals who try
>>> to
>>>  pass off as "freedom fighters" but who are the real enemies of the
>>> people,
>>>  has created a void which will be difficult to fill. I take this
>>> opportunity
>>>  to pay my tribute to a young man who, unlike most of us, dared to do
>>> what he
>>>  considered to be right.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  At 9:11 AM +0530 3/1/09, uttam borthakur wrote:
>>>  > It is about the death of a young civil servant in Manipur. I thought
>>>  assam netters would be interested. How efforts at good deeds are
>>> silenced by
>>>  guns: state as well as militants. So, you may try the link below......
>>>  >
>>>  > http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar0109/edit2
>>>  >
>>>  > Uttam Kumar Borthakur
>>>  >
>>>  >
>>>  >      Unlimited freedom, unlimited storage. Get it now, on
>>>  http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html/
>>>  > _______________________________________________
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