The proscribed umbrella organisation CORCOM has stated that on its 9th foundation day which falls on Wednesday, the organisation pays its respects to the brave martyrs who laid down their lives in the self-determination movement.
A release issued by convener, I Chaoren stated that the organisation lauds the public for their support and shares their grief in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the forceful merger of Kangleipak (Manipur) into India in 1949, the people have been living without any basic rights, it said. The system is being run in the country under the worst form of democracy, it said. It holds the lowest rank in terms of press freedom and democracy, it added.
The Indian administration which has been founded on "casteism" under the shadow of British Empire, has been attempting to make the people become victims of drug trade, the release alleged. By creating a dependent economy, wedges have been put among the communities and corruption has been promoted through its puppets, it added.
With the arrival of COVID-19 pandemic, the weakness of the Indian Government has been completely exposed, the release said. The state government could not take up concrete measures to promote public health as well, it added.
Although 70 years have gone by since Manipur’s merger to the Indian union, the severe shortages of health facilities, equipment, ambulance and public health centres, and the lack of doctors and health workers have been all exposed, Chaoren said. There have been instances of transporting mould covered face masks and PPEs which are not medically approved yet, it added.
Manipur was a green zone but now it has become one the states with highest number of infections among the Northeast states, the release said. The country has not come up with a concrete measure to help tide over the effects of the pandemic while the daily wagers are facing the full brunt.
Though the pandemic has provided an opportunity for the state to re-establish its economy, it will definitely go to waste as the state government has not undertaken any measures, it stated.
With corrupted people in power, it would be impossible to save the people from COVID-19. When the state has been hit hard by the pandemic, the tussle among the leaders to get portfolios, the squabble over positions and seats have shown that the true characteristics of this community is now lost, Chaoren stated. The leaders have abandoned all shame and dignity and are selling off this land so that they can buy the public with their money, it added.
The public must take extreme caution and put measures to stop such kind of politics before the state becomes a laughing stock of the world, the release said.
At this critical juncture, the public must not remain as mute spectators by trusting the government as there is a possibility that the entire population may become infected by COVID-19, it said. When inmates in each of the quarantine centres are getting infected in groups, it is a sign that lateral transmission is occurring, it said.
Since community transmission is a near possibility, the state leaders must take up extra precautionary measures at this point, the release said.
Had not Ukhrul and Tungjoy built their own quarantine centres using their own wit and ingenuity Manipur could have suffered from community transmission, the release said. For this, the people of Manipur must express their gratefulness to Ukhrul and Tungjoy and try to follow their paths, it added.
Instead of trusting the government, Manipuris must take up timely preparation and follow a proper system to prevent community transmission from taking place. The people must throw caution to the winds just because a report has come negative, it said. For example, a certain term ‘False Negative’ is being used to describe ‘a person with COVID-19 tests negative for COVID-19’. There is another term ‘False positive’ which means ‘a person without COVID-19 tests positive for COVID-19’, the release said. With such possibilities, the people must still continue to maintain physical distancing even if they have been tested negative, it added.
On the other hand, the deep seated racism of India has come to the fore during the pandemic. People from ‘Western South East Asia (WESEA)’ studying or working at various places in India must take extreme precaution, it said.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel once said, “Our northern or North Eastern approaches consist of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Tribal areas of Assam. From the point of view of communication they are weak spots....The contact of these areas with us, is by no means close and intimate. The people inhabiting these portions have no established loyalty or devotion to India. Even Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas are not free from pro mongoloid prejudices.” This shows the conflict between ‘WESEA’ and India, the release said.
It can be said that the war against COVID-19 is the third biggest war mankind has witnessed after 2nd WW, it stated. The people of Manipur are also fighting this war. At this point of time, the communities settled in the state must set aside all communal feelings and try to build a new system which all can follow, it said. The people must follow all rules of maintaining hygiene and maintain physical distancing and must wear masks while moving out, it added.
