Unusual contest at National Sports University

TS Haokip
Contd from previous issue
The District Magistrate thereafter ordered section 144 CRPC in and around Haraothel village.
Possibly, to appease those against the MOU, a press release dated 9th October in the name of Minister, Forest and Environment, GOM which claimed to represent the Group of Ministers that inked an MOU with Kuki groups, back-tracked on the agreements made.
The press release made a shocking clarification about the Government of Manipur stance stating that the Government will go ahead with the proposed site ‘submitted to the Centre in earlier instances’. Understandably, the PR by the Forest and Environment Minister that
indirectly denounced the MOU with Kuki CSOs had enraged the villagers of Haraothel and adjoining villages. ‘The Government is playing not just with our lands but our sentiments too.
What is the point of having an MOU if its contents are to be disregarded within 48 hours? We want the Government to clarify their stance on the matter,’ said Pu H Vaiphei, resident of L Tangnuam(Haraothel).
Sportsmanship solution
The issue of National Sports University Haraothel has been used by many hate-mongering individuals and organizations to spread fake and hate messages that could affect the peaceful co-existence of the communities in the State.
The Government could have avoided all these in the first place by involving concerned stakeholders. Nevertheless, the should haves and could haves will not resolve the current impending issue
though they could serve as a useful lesson for future initiatives.
The Manipur Government has had negotiations and agreements with both representatives of the Haraothel Village as well as Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang in separate incidents.
The agreements have evidently failed to resolve the issue as no effort has been taken so far to bring all the stakeholders on one table. Either the State Government re-demarcate all of Haraothel land (Kangpokpi District) from the project and redesign the NSU in Imphal West District wholly or they allocate the NSU in Haraothel land and re- demarcate all of Senjam Chirang and Senjam Khunou land (Imphal West).  But, if the Government is to go ahead with its present allocated land, which comprises Haraothel and Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang, all stakeholders should be taken on board so that the National Sports University is materialized devoid of foul play by any players concerned.
(The views expressed here are personal)