A few days back, around 5 pm, the earlier appearance of dusk drew me out from the transit corner to our garden! The sky looked dull with scattered dark cloud formation.
The first photo above is the picture of cloud formation in its early stage in the western sky when the sun would be normally shining bright with golden splash on the sky, before the sunset.
Instead, what I noticed was clouds moving in the sky becoming larger and darker. I would have stayed looking at this sight, had I not heard the bird call of a Magpie Robin, sitting on the compound wall. It was drizzling at that time. This bird was alone with no bird movements or their cacophony usually heard at dusk. There was no Magpie Robin in the viscidity to reciprocate to its lonely bird call! The bird call unlike the long musically rich melody had a vibratory tone and screeching quality. Was it a distress call!
It became a time to ponder over a reality that has disturbed and made many of us feel helpless with rioting continuing in Manipur with loss of lives and property! Why is that those in authority do not feel the awfulness of the situation.
The metaphor of ethnic and religious divide between people to me is the dark cloud over the state of Manipur! Even those who died two months back cannot be buried as there is opposition to burying them in the usual burial place. The state government could not be decisive. The magpie Robin became to me the archetype of humans in distress in Manipur!
A student of twelfth grade was interviewed by a TV channel in Manipur, who learned to use the gun about three months ago and is stationed now at the outpost of his village, guarding the village from rioters. He said, 'My life is at risk. But I need to protect my village from the attack of rioters'. He lost his house when the village was set on fire along with others in the neighbourhood'.
In fact, the news we receive about the happenings in Manipur is a window into the a valley of loss and sorrow! The ground situation is still not fully known as the press has access to only limited areas in the conflict prone territory.
We have had ethnic cleaning by deliberate rioting in different parts of the world in the past. We had a glimpse of this even in India.
I hear the resonance of the Magpie Robin within me, sitting on a wall and singing its distressful song!
The thousands of the Manipurians are like this Magpie Robin calling out for help, looking at the clouds of darkness in their horizon!
There are attempts to respond by some people.... it is too feeble to be substantial at a time when wellness, safety and peace are no where in the horizon!
The people who cannot be charitable to their neighbours invite loss into their own lives!
A government which disregards the pain and distress of people because they favour one
particular community, is not people's government!
For us in India, it is time to pursue peace and promote communal harmony!
M.C.Mathew(text and
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