Manipur: In the midst of the continued strife and ethnic clashes in Manipur, the youth leaders of different native groups have united to attend the Northeastern Students Youth Parliament in Delhi. A challenging but not impossible process, this platform presented a rare opportunity for Manipur youth to air their grievances, search for visibility, and try to forge a path towards peace in the face of stark divisions. This parliament also represented a stepping stone for AVP and other indigenous leaders to convene, debate, and consider the critical issues facing their constituencies.
The Manipur state has been for a long time beset by entrenched ethnic conflict, with polarisation between two dominant ethnic groups having had a severe impact on the lives of its people. The violence and instability have rendered communities splintered, and living together an ever-growing challenge. The children, the future of the state, are left behind in the aftermath of this war, unable to pursue their studies and find opportunities that will enable them to lead a better life. **The Parliament: A Platform for Expression and Exposure**
Within the Youth Parliament, students were given the opportunity to tell their stories, express their concerns, and bring forward the challenges they are facing. Among the major takeaways from the parliament, as voiced by one of the student leaders, was the platform and exposure it gave. For most of the leaders, being at the parliament was not merely a matter of having their voices heard, but about meeting others who may be able to relate to their situation and join them in solidarity.
The AVP leader pointed out that this forum provided them the opportunity to raise the issues that are usually left unsaid in their home state. They were able to bring up the suffering their communities have been experiencing over the last few years, specifically the displacement of thousands of families and students by the violence. For them, this was an unusual opportunity to speak directly to those in power and those who could make a difference.
“The aim of being here in this parliament was to reveal the facts of what we are dealing with and utilize the opportunity to voice our complaints,” a student leader stated.
“We’ve had to go through memorandums or bring our concerns through indirect means quite often, but today we were able to present our concerns directly to the people who count. This makes us hopeful that our voices are being heard and that maybe we can start moving towards a solution.” **Navigating Ethnic Divides in Manipur**
In spite of the challenging scenario in Manipur, the student leaders who took part in the parliament from different communities showed a strong commitment to being together. There were no indications of division among the representatives at the gathering. They were bound together by the shared desire to tackle the issues of their communities, irrespective of ethnic or organizational affiliation.
Although the Manipur conflict is surely sensitive and plagued by historical complaints, the leaders emphasized that one had to focus on the greater picture: asserting the future for their youth and communities. They recognized that as much as bringing together various ethnic groups was difficult at times, forums such as this parliament helped them discover something in common and strive toward a shared future.
“We are all here with one aim in mind – to represent our people, fight for them, and speak on their behalf. Yes, we belong to different groups, and yes, there are tensions, but we are together with the hope that we can resolve it through peaceful means,” a student leader stated.
The Struggles of Students and the Future of Manipur
One of the major concerns raised during the parliament was the plight of students, particularly those from the Kuki community, who have been displaced due to the violence in Manipur.
Thousands of students have been forced to leave their homes, with many unable to continue their studies due to the instability in their hometowns. As one student leader shared, over 5,000 students from their community alone have been displaced, and many have had to abandon their education in search of safety. “This has been very challenging for us to continue our studies. A lot of us were heading towards becoming doctors, engineers, or taking civil services, but because of the violence, a lot of students have had to leave school,” said a leader from the Kuki community.
Besides, numerous families, especially the displaced Manipuris, have made tremendous sacrifices to fund education for their children. Parents have relocated to Delhi and other regions of India in search of employment and taken up legal as well as menial jobs just to survive.
The students underscored the urgency for the government to address the education and employment crisis, especially beyond Manipur, where resources are already stretched to their limits. The years of marginalization have left many disillusioned and ignored.
Hope for a Better Future
In spite of the struggles, the leaders who were present at the parliament were optimistic. They view this as an important step towards their long-term aspiration of going back to Manipur someday and pursuing their studies in peace while making their homeland develop. For others, the parliament was an assurance of their Indian-ness.
“We belong to this country and we are your brothers and sisters,” said one of the leaders. “We have been questioning our loyalty, our Indianhood, for all these years. Today, they accepted us and that is an enormous leap of faith. Hopefully, it would be the new beginning when we will no more have to keep our students in exile.”
The parliament also emphasized the need for collective responsibility. It pointed out that even though these students are physically far away from Manipur, their hopes and aspirations for the future are still closely tied to their home state. They are not isolated in their plight and are buoyed by the numerous students, parents, and community members who share their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous future.
In summary, the Delhi Youth Parliament was not merely a forum for debate; it was a move toward reconciliation, harmony, and hope for Manipur’s youth. Even with the ethnic divisions and centuries-old tensions, it proved that the road to peace is not impossible, and that through cooperation and dialogue, solutions can be achieved.
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