‘Community life shouldn’t be compromised for development sake’
PCRM observes eighth anniversary
IMPHAL | Oct 18 (Courtesy: Imphal Free Press)
In connection with the eighth anniversary of People’s Campaign for Resurgent Manipur (PCRM), a panel discussion on ‘Forms of Belonging and Solidarity: Reflection on Community Life of Leikai/ Khun’ was held today at Sinam Shyama Town hall, Chingmeirong here today.
The panel deliberated upon the downgrading of community life - the sense of belonging, sharing and solidarity at local and village levels in Manipur as fallout of rapid urbanisation and development.
During the discussion, Irina Ningthoujam, assistant professor of Miozoram university said that existence of local level organisation like ‘Singlup’ not only has the potential of preserving the locality as collective and generate social capital, but can also be a crucial agent of better urban service delivery in a transparent and accountable manner.
Bringing out the role of globalisation and modern economic life in the downgrading of community based traditional institutions, Chinglen Meisnam of Manipur university emphasised on the need to strengthen institutions like ‘Singlup’ by aligning it with state cultural policy.
Moderator of the session, cultural activist Ningthoujam Lancha stressed that community life should not be compromised for developmental pace. He observed that reciprocity among people in a locality cease to exist in the modern Manipuri society.
“Here lies the responsibility of traditional institutions like ‘Singlup’ to bring the people together. We should also deliberate on whether we can start a new system by combining modern concept and traditional values so that our community life is not lost in development”, he said.
Lancha, in his concluding remarks, suggested that a new form of joint help as in the case of ‘Singlup’ may be started where dying, bed ridden or hospitalised people are given assistance, instead of the help extended by locals only in performing rituals of the dead.
While pointing out that Chingmeirong locality has been putting efforts to sustain its community life through ‘Singlup’, environmentalist Ramanand Wangkheirakpam elaborated the ways in which traditional institutions like ‘Singlup’ can be re-invented to serve various interests of our community life.
In the meantime, a PCRM release informed that it has decided to pursue the issue as a part of its larger campaign for a resurgent Manipur.
Its aims to fight against the private and vested interests that seek to undermine the basic fabric of a collective life in Manipur and bring about a new political culture wherein public morality and issues of public importance play significant role in the society and polity, said the release.
Correspondingly, the campaign seeks to cultivate a culture of dialogue and debate in order to generate informed opinions and choices on public issues and make the political class, public institutions and leaders accountable to the citizens as individuals and as a collective, it added.
Today’s panellists included assistant professor, Mizoram University, Irina Ningthoujam senior assistant professor, Manipur University, Chinglen Meisnam and founder of Indigenous Perspectives and secretary of Chingmeirong Singlup, Ramanand Wangkheirakpam, while filmmaker and cultural activist, Lancha Ningthouja moderated the session.
PCRM was launched on October 18, 2011 by a group of citizens concerned with the prevailing state of affairs in the state and seeking a change towards a new and better Manipur.
IMPHAL | Oct 18 (Courtesy: Imphal Free Press)
In connection with the eighth anniversary of People’s Campaign for Resurgent Manipur (PCRM), a panel discussion on ‘Forms of Belonging and Solidarity: Reflection on Community Life of Leikai/ Khun’ was held today at Sinam Shyama Town hall, Chingmeirong here today.
The panel deliberated upon the downgrading of community life - the sense of belonging, sharing and solidarity at local and village levels in Manipur as fallout of rapid urbanisation and development.
During the discussion, Irina Ningthoujam, assistant professor of Miozoram university said that existence of local level organisation like ‘Singlup’ not only has the potential of preserving the locality as collective and generate social capital, but can also be a crucial agent of better urban service delivery in a transparent and accountable manner.
Bringing out the role of globalisation and modern economic life in the downgrading of community based traditional institutions, Chinglen Meisnam of Manipur university emphasised on the need to strengthen institutions like ‘Singlup’ by aligning it with state cultural policy.
Moderator of the session, cultural activist Ningthoujam Lancha stressed that community life should not be compromised for developmental pace. He observed that reciprocity among people in a locality cease to exist in the modern Manipuri society.
“Here lies the responsibility of traditional institutions like ‘Singlup’ to bring the people together. We should also deliberate on whether we can start a new system by combining modern concept and traditional values so that our community life is not lost in development”, he said.
Lancha, in his concluding remarks, suggested that a new form of joint help as in the case of ‘Singlup’ may be started where dying, bed ridden or hospitalised people are given assistance, instead of the help extended by locals only in performing rituals of the dead.
While pointing out that Chingmeirong locality has been putting efforts to sustain its community life through ‘Singlup’, environmentalist Ramanand Wangkheirakpam elaborated the ways in which traditional institutions like ‘Singlup’ can be re-invented to serve various interests of our community life.
In the meantime, a PCRM release informed that it has decided to pursue the issue as a part of its larger campaign for a resurgent Manipur.
Its aims to fight against the private and vested interests that seek to undermine the basic fabric of a collective life in Manipur and bring about a new political culture wherein public morality and issues of public importance play significant role in the society and polity, said the release.
Correspondingly, the campaign seeks to cultivate a culture of dialogue and debate in order to generate informed opinions and choices on public issues and make the political class, public institutions and leaders accountable to the citizens as individuals and as a collective, it added.
Today’s panellists included assistant professor, Mizoram University, Irina Ningthoujam senior assistant professor, Manipur University, Chinglen Meisnam and founder of Indigenous Perspectives and secretary of Chingmeirong Singlup, Ramanand Wangkheirakpam, while filmmaker and cultural activist, Lancha Ningthouja moderated the session.
PCRM was launched on October 18, 2011 by a group of citizens concerned with the prevailing state of affairs in the state and seeking a change towards a new and better Manipur.
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| Photos: Sonia Nepram |
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