Showing concern for the students in Manipur, the Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) today met and submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur, Anusuiya Uikey, mentioning the need for resumption of normal classes and highlighted the need to provide a safe environment for any students belonging to different communities.
In the memorandum, MUSU stated that the state and the central governments needed to play a crucial role in the education sector and urged the governor to convey the union’s demands and proposal to both the governments. It stated that the students staying in relief camps should be provided special facility in any educational institutions and that the students be ensured safe and protected environment in any educational zones.
The students’ union also urged that university students be given access of internet service as it has become an essential part of a student's life. It urged the Governor of Manipur to bring both the communities’ leaders at her table for peace and social harmony. The union demanded that impartial concrete steps be taken up to maintain law and order both in hills and valley.
MUSU also mentioned the need for ensuring safety evacuation of all the Manipuri students staying in Mizoram from their respective places and to provide security for those staying in Mizoram.
The students’ union stated that it has been almost three months since the breakdown of state machinery and yet, the central government remains a mute spectator and violence still continuing in foothill areas bordering the hills and valleys. It alleged that the tension between Meitei and Kuki escalated due to the existence of Suspension of Operations (So0) pact and claimed that there has been a blatant and open violation of ground rules on the side of militants.
Stating that the deployment of central armed forces, despite several violations of ground rules by Kuki militants, has led to a trust deficit among the people of Manipur, MUSU conveyed that there must be certain roles and- responsibilities of the central government to diffuse the conflict and bring back to normalcy.
Due to the height and prolong of the conflict, it has a larger implication and impacted on the various aspect of the society such as health sector, economy and most importantly in the field of education, it said, adding that the students of Manipur are now uncertain about their educational careers due to the conflict continuing since May 3, 2023. Students have now run for their life and some of the displaced students are now staying at the relief camps.
“Students also faced lots of challenges in terms of study and admission process as the internet service has been shut down for so long. In this scenario, protecting and guarding the rights of student is deemed necessary,” said MUSU.
The union claimed that it has also engaged and took crucial role on various matter since the outbreak of the conflict within the MU campus. The very day of the conflict ie on 3rd of May 2023, volunteers of MUSU managed to ensure all the students belonging to various communities including outside states were protected from any unwanted threat and safely evacuated them to their respective places.
Further, MUSU expressed its disappointment over Indian military forces for not being able to control the crisis despite being one of the most powerful armies in the World
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
