Detoxification medicines out of stock in Manipur

[Guest guest]

Dear moderator and forum,

As we are directly involved in giving services to the Injecting drug users here

in Manipur, we have some concern about the users.

We are facing a very hard time due to the Economic Blockade -

1) Detoxification medicines are out of stock

2) De-addiction centre doesn't have any detoxification medicines as well,they

simply will tell the the NGOs who are refering the clients to bring along

detoxification medicines .

3) Even NGOs like SASO who is doing free home detoxification and DIC based

detoxification is also out of medicines (But somehow they sent out volunteers to

collect samples medicines (detoxification medicines) from Physicians.

Local pressure groups are after the drug users and they went everywhere for

supports,they all are assemble at SASO's existing DICs, requesting the services

providers to get some support.

So, this the situation in here and the IDUs is in serious dis-advantage now.

Can anyone suggest us ? Whom should we blame ?

*SASO & a few NGOs personally send some of its workers to buy medicines from

other states.

Thanks

Best regards,

L.Birendrajit Singh

SASO,Imphal

E-mail: <lbirendrajit@...>

[Guest guest]

[Moderators note: An analysis of the Ethno-Economic Blockade In Manipur by

Nikolai Haokip follows the message from the GIPA Alliance.]

Dear all

The matter is a concern of serious intensity. It is evident through out the

state that drug use is not considered as a public health emergence but when it

comes to harassing them or condemning their act there are too many individuals

or organisation that renders a fair contribution in allways.Soultimately this

implies that the community and the society atlarge are notunderstanding what and

how drug use should be responded.

Yes, its a well known truth that Detoxifacation is not the only solution but a

vital component in response towards a comprehensive effort towards drug use. So

who is responsible for the recent instability in the state that surmounts to the

unavailibility of detox medicine apart from other needfull commodities. With the

meagre slots of detox facilities at some few NGOs its now a threat and a

fearsome comnplex that stands out to endangered the drug

use population aho are in need of detoxification. Is it going to be a far cry or

an unpromised undertaking.

Please be HUMANE enough to think it over for a desperate population who are

already disposed to the risk of Blood borne viruses and a life composed of

misery and hard toils.

Haobam Nanao

Coordinator

GIPA Alliance

E-mail: <gipa.alliance@...>

________________________________

Ethno-Economic Blockade In Manipur: The Stakes Involved

Nikolai Haokip

The ongoing economic blockade in Manipur spearheaded by the All-Naga Students'

Association Manipur (ANSAM) over the state government's declaration of June 18

as 'State Integrity Day' raises certain ethno-political and security issues

apart from the administrative and economic limbo in which it has landed the

state.

To begin with, in an ethno-communally charged political climate as in Manipur,

the wisdom of the state government in declaring June 18 a state holiday is

questionable. It was on this day in 2001 that the majority Meetei community, in

a mass protest against perceived threats to the territorial integrity of the

state, burnt down the state legislature following reports of a possible cession

by the Government of India to the NSCN (IM) demand for integration of all Naga

inhabited territories.

Ideally, the state government ought to be a neutral arbiter between communities

living within its territory, while at the same time resolutely safeguarding the

territorial and other interests of the state. By declaring June 18 as 'State

Integrity Day', the state government acted at the behest of the majority Meetei

community, arousing much chagrin from a section of its Naga population who are

supportive of Naga integration. The move is seen as an appropriation of the

state government for the dominant community's interests, and that, incidentally,

happens to be the heart of the entire crisis.

It is this real or perceived misappropriation of the state and its various

machineries by the dominant group which, over time, has created cleavages in the

political and ethno-emotional integrity of the state that subsequently surfaced

to threaten its territorial integrity.

Today, the state government is in dire straits. It cannot revoke its decision

now as it will earn it the ire of the Meeteis , nor can it afford to stick to

it, unless of course, it finds an amicable way of ending the blockade. The state

is reeling under severe shortage of fuel, LPG, and other essential items. There

are reports that a single LPG refill costs Rs 1,600 upwards. The state

administration has admitted to having limited stocks of fuels like petrol,

diesel and kerosene. As a result, the black markets are thriving. Most of the

state's supplies are routed along the national highways 39 and 53. Both these

highways pass through areas dominated by Nagas and as such ANSAM supporters

enjoy easy access and control to affect the blockade.

The prolonged blockade resulting in enormous hardships to the common man is

testimony to the state government's failure to maintain law and order. Further

prolongation could see the promulgation of President's Rule in the state. In

this scenario, what options does the state government have? The chief minister,

O Ibobi Singh, has gone on record to state that the move was not intended to

hurt any section of the population. But, the question that arises is whether it

was intended to please all sections of the people in the state.

An honest reply to this question from the government and necessary action

flowing from there will certainly help.

On the question of security, such an irresponsible decision of the government

has the potential to derail the ongoing peace talks with the NSCN (IM) at the

central level. The NSCN (IM) has commented to the effect that it will not remain

a silent spectator to the forcible repression of Naga student activists across

the state. In this light, it is irrelevant whether reports about the NSCN (IM)

being behind the blockade are true. One can safely conclude that the entire

drama has been well orchestrated between the insurgent group and ANSAM, as also

the Naga Students Federation of Nagaland (NSF), which have declared its support

to the economic blockade. Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has also made his

government's intentions clear when he stated that he cannot guarantee the safe

passage of Manipur bound supply trucks through Nagaland.

It will be appropriate to look at this entire episode through the prism of

ethno-political discord which currently subsumes the region. All the states in

the Northeast are characterized by ethnic heterogeneity and the existence of a

dominant group alongside several minority ethnic communities. Discord between

different communities with varied degrees of intensity is also common to the

region. That these conflicts are almost always caused by real or perceived

threats to identity, demand and denial of some form of ethnic based

self-determination is by now a hackneyed conclusion among informed circles.

However, debate continues on as to what would be the solution(s).

While developmental advocates prescribe economic upliftment and developmental

initiatives as the panacea for the region's many ills, there are others who

advocate political and administrative decentralization. However, the fact

remains that no single solution is possible and that both economic development

and varied degrees of politico-administrative autonomies on ethnic lines,

attuned to specific situations promises the most dividends. Yet again, for how

long and to what level can such an approach be adopted? One such answer could be

to dole out generous doses of autonomy to the various communities within the

present territorial arrangements. The case of Manipur presents a suitable one to

experiment with such an approach.

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