A radical musing on some Root Causes, Ice Berg and Problem Tree of The Kuki Society; by Mangneo Lhungdim
“I am delighted to read “Kuki Nampi Ekhehsuhnao” a very rarely discussed topic such as this has featured after a long time in the forum” Note: I wrote this small article in response to the discussion initiated by Mangboi Haokip on “KUKI NAMPI EKHEHSUHNAO..!!” on kukiforum
What Is Our Favorite past Time?
Politics has constantly topped the topics discussed in the kukiforum for last 1-2 years and while many of us are trigger-happy netters reacting instantly on issues of politics, of accusations, of counter-accusations and even stressing the discussions over personal trifle issues, but sadly whenever any discussion is initiated on socio-economic (poverty dynamics, village governance, NGOs, role of the Church, role of village chiefs, etc.) there are no takers.
With due respect to the sentiments of the forum members and the objectives guiding the forum founders; I would suggest we start addressing/discussing some of the common root causes of all the ‘problems’ we today live with. Experiences (history) tell us that many of our present problems are actually mere effects of the core or the tip of the iceberg. We should try understanding the “core” or the “iceberg” rather than struggling at the “effects/tips.”
Mangboi Haokip has started on the right note by listing/analyzing some of the causes - Corruption, lack of honest leaders, public mindset, and education. And mind you, this is not the entirety of the iceberg yet. If we are to construct a tree/iceberg using all the issues/problems afflicting our society as building blocs, ours will be no different from many counterparts in South Asia.
Be Grounded
My personal orientation is in redirecting all our efforts in identifying the micro-issues and thereby tackling them through micro level solutions and it does not take a Nobel laureate, social scientist/economist or a bigwig politician to do this. All it needs is the village women/men coming together in Self Help/Cooperative platforms to manage their local issues. There are handful of examples “success stories” in India and neighboring South Asian countries where communities have come out from the vicious cycle of abject poverty, conflicts/insurgency and, from all the forces Mangboi Haokip and Jesse John mentioned.
Once we are able to manage our micro level problems, most of the larger issues will find appropriate solutions through a spiraling effect. Well, few contentious macro issues such as the Kuki identity, Kuki autonomy or unification, re-unification do not really affect immediately the rozi roti (daily bread) of the common Kuki householder, while the family has to survive every single day on these basic needs.
Whose Issues and Whose Priority?
What issues/needs/aspirations would top if a common Kuki householder was asked to rank his priorities today? The householder who mortgaged his only livelihood (pension book, plot of land) away to the money lender, the widows of Naga-Kuki/Paite-Kuki conflict whose entire struggle is to feed her virtually-orphaned kids, the faceless Eimi boys in various Manipuri Hotels serving you mira mirch (Vegetarian dishes), the marginal Eimi farmer whose harvest is destroyed by Mautam, the thousands of landless Kukis who still languish under the dictates of whimsical hereditary ‘village chiefs’, the above average child in every family whose only dream is to study in a good college away from the killing field, etc….
All that the majority Kuki populace would list will be an overwhelmed BASIC NEEDS. And that’s it!
DFID’s paper on “Ending Poverty in India” categories the country into three Indias: The Global India, the Developing India and Poorest India. (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/three-indias.pdf) Whether one likes it served hot or cold, the Kuki society today is categorized into these similar classes in which more than 90 % population would fall under the third category. What is more appalling unfortunately is that few privileged Kukis have become so insensitive to the grassroots issues of Kuki village and are blatantly hogging the limelight with perceived ‘Kuki Issues/problems’ that do not touch-base with the priorities of the majority.
At the Church’s front
The Church in Kuki society has always stood behind the society during thick and thin and more than once rose to the occasions even in situations where civil administration, politicians, and social scientists failed miserably to dispense their legal duties. The first Theology College, the first Christian hospital, (KCC) the first state level development NGO, the first Peacebuilding institute (KBC), and so on and so forth…. though we can further improve by a thousand yard on this front. We may have a number rather too many denominations for a below 8 lakhs population in which most of the smaller denominations are overshadowed by bigger biggies like the KCC, KBC, ECA, TBA etc.
In other local churches like the Presbytery, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists etc., social services /community development is given equal importance to that of evangelism. As such, through their social development departments these congregations create community assets, livelihoods, responds to humanitarian relief, health, education, all the way winning though both hearts and bodies.
All is not lost; but nothing is there
Yes, all is not lost if we survived thus far. Many Kuki development initiatives have been put in place at the micro level innovative and clusters approach that are working steadily and stealthily in improving access, livelihoods, create models, and motivate communities as strongly as the strong current blowing against such initiatives. Mentionable leading grassroots workers are Pu Thangsei, Pu Lamkhomang, Pu Thongsei, Pu Sem Haokip, Pu Zamlal & Pu Jamhen, Pu Thenkhogin, Pu Paojalen, Sangamuon Inn mothers, and hundred more women and men The yeoman’s’ services contributed by the above persons through their various not-for-profit organizations deserve to be acknowledged by the larger society. They can be role models for the younger generation for a sustainable Kuki nation.
We are said to be inflicted with the Bihari delima, Bihar like the NE is notoriously famous for all the wrong reasons - daylight murder, violation of rule of law, goondagiri, caste wars, corruptions etc. and at the same time is the janma bhoomi (breeding ground) of the bestest of civil servants, diplomats, politicians, scientists, and freedom fighters. Similarly the Kukis, despite being a minority (with not even a single ‘Kuki district’) in Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura or even in Myanmar, Bangladesh has produced the largest civil servants, diplomats, police officers, central servicemen, doctors, engineers, nurses, researchers and pastors.
While the society has also produced a surprisingly silent tribe of ‘development professionals’ whose expertise and resources remained under utilized both human and financial and they includes Rev. Dino Touthang, Paul Touthang, Hethong Haokip, Thongmang Kipgen, Kim Kipgen, Jamkholal Lhungdim, and few more names including the author himself.
What is not there?
Coordination, willingness to leave aside personal ego and saying in unison: “let’s do it for the nation/society”
For further reading:• Two Myths that keep the world poor: http://www.awakenedwoman.com/shiva_poverty_myths.htm
• Mountains Common: changing space & status at community levels in Himalayas (ICIMOD) http://www.indiana.edu/~iascp/bali/papers/Jodha_Narpat.pdf
• The Asia & Pacific Forum on Poverty: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Presentations/Health/AP-Forum-on-Poverty-J-Hunt.pdf
• The Kuki People; By PS Haokip http://www.kukiforum.com/whatsnew/the_kuki_people_march2005.htm
• http://www.kukiforum.com/whatsnew/the_kuki_people_march2005.htm
• http://www.karunacenter.org/reports/indiadec05.pdf
• Stagnant Development in NE http://www.manipuronline.com/Features/May2003/stagnantdevelopment31_3.htm
• An Ethnic Audit of Selected Poverty Reduction Strategy http://www.ilo.org/dyn/declaris/DECLARATIONWEB.DOWNLOAD_BLOB?Var_DocumentID=5776
• PRI V/S Traditional Governance by Mangneo Lhungdim
No comments:
Post a Comment