UCM hosts public discourse on Manipur crisis

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 18: Marking the opening of its year-long silver jubilee celebration, the United Committee Manipur (UCM)  hosted a public discourse on ‘Manipur Crisis and Beyond: A Way Forward (A Futuristic Exercise)’ today at Hotel Imphal.
The public discourse was presided over by UCM president YK Dhiren and it was moderated by former Dean, School of Environmental Science, MU Prof W Nabakumar.
The Frontier Manipur Editor-in-Chief Dhiren A Sadokpam spoke on the topic ‘Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 as the constitutional legal foundation for a new secular democratic republic of Manipur’ while Head of Department, SEAS, MU Prof Chinglen Maisnam presented a paper on “Socio- economic linkages between Manipuri Meiteis and other indigenous Manipuri communities and need for a common destiny (a futuristic exercise)”.
Assistant Prof Dr Malem Ningthouja of Department of History, DMU spoke on “Continuous historical linkages make it essential for the Manipuri Meitei and other indigenous Manipuri communities to unite for a destiny (a futuristic exercise)” while Prof Dr Homen Thangjam of IGNTU-RCM presented a paper on “Socio-cultural linkages between Manipuri Meiteis and other indigenous Manipuri communities and the need for a common destiny (a futuristic exercise)”.
UCM president YK Dhiren said that the public discourse was a deliberation with scholars and intellectuals on how to carry forward the legacy of the idea of Manipur in the backdrop of multiple crises and challenges threatening the idea of Manipur.
Since its establishment in 2001, UCM has been working for a united Manipur and it remains committed to the same cause, Dhiren said.
Mutual understanding, interaction and respect are necessary in order to carry forward the idea of a united Manipur, he said.
He said that the violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023 has affected all the communities.
UCM has been communicating with different communities and working to restore normalcy. At the same time, emotion or sentiment should not be allowed to sway anyone and no one should do anything which may be detrimental to the idea of united Manipur in future, Dhiren said.
The Torbung attack was carried out by some people with vested interests who are opposed to peace and normalcy, he said.
“People need not panic because of the attack. No community will be able to prevent us from going to our homes and IDPs’ attempt to go back to their homes is only the natural course of action”, he said.
It is a matter of grave concern that a large number of Central forces are deployed in  between Torbung, Phougakchao Ikhai and Churachandpur but they did nothing when innocent villagers were attacked with firearms and bombs, he decried.
He added that appropriate action must be initiated against the Central forces deployed in the area.