Policy makers in Manipur are barely aware of MGDs: Prof Amar Yumnam

IMPHAL, October 18: Community Network on Empowerment (CONE), Human Rights Alert (HRA), Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR), Sustainable Livelihood Forum Manipur (SLFM) and United Voluntary Youth Council (UVYC) jointly organized a People's Convention on Millennium Development Goals in Manipur today at Lamyanba Snglen, Imphal, where civil society groups from all the nine district of Manipur participated.

Inaugurating the convention L Ibomcha, chairman, Public Accounts Committee called for the need to reestablish the Manipur Human Rights Commission and to ensure that Right to Information functions effectively as transparency is the hallmark of good governance.

Delivering the welcome and keynote address Babloo Loitongbam, executive director, HRA, explained how the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) is the outcome of the Millennium Submit where 189 heads of the states gathered at the UN in New York in 2000. MDGs are promised to be achieved by 2015. With just three years left, the convention seeks to access if live in Manipur is anywhere close to achieving these goals. Using power point presentations each of the 8 MDGs were explained: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; Achieve universal primary education; Promote gender equality and empower women; Reduce child mortality; Improve maternal health; Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; Ensure environmental sustainability; Develop a global partnership for development

Prof Amar Yumnam, Dean of Social Sciences, Manipur University speaking as the guest of honour highlighted how the values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and responsibility informs the MDGs. He also pointed out that world is already preparing the agenda of the post 2015 development goals and morn that fact that the policy makers in Manipur are barely aware of MGDs not to talk of working for its realization. He emphasis how the issues of Legitimate Politics, Security, Justice, Employment and Communities capacity to generate revenue are going to be key concepts in shaping up the post-20I5 development agenda of the world.

Four expert panelists from various networks presented their experiences in the field on the situation of the MDGs.

Meihousbam Rakesh, director, HRLN (Manipur) graphically presented how the benefits from various welfare schemes are corned by vested interest and explained how the funds are utilized in creating private assets instead of benefiting the public.

Pradeep Keisham, convenor, MACR listed out the various legislations and schemes mean for children since 2000 and high-lighted how the benefits of such laws hardly reached the children. He recommended the need for changing the social structures and system along with the legal frame work for children to actually realize their rights, the need for promptly establishing the Manipur State Child Rights Commission is also outlined.

RK Nolinikanta, president of CoNE pointed out even though Manipur constitutes only 0.2 percent of India's populations it bears the burden of supporting eight percent of people living with HIV in the country. Through an action research conducted specially for this convention he pointed out challenges faced by the people living with HIV to access proper treatment.

Mesiah Devi, State coordinator of SLFM presented the difficulties of the people both in the hills and valley of Manipur to access the PDS items on the basis of their public hearing conducted recently and also presented the recommendation issued by the Commission of Right to Food to the Government of Manipur after the public hearing. She also pointed mourned the fact that the recommendations remained unimplemented till date.

Activist form Tamenglong district, Ukhrul district, transgender community and other interest groups also presented their concerns with the non-realization of the MDG. The convention concluded with a commitment from the Centre for Manipur Studies, Manipur University to come out with an annual Manipur Development Report by closely working with the frontline activist struggle to overcome the developmental challenge in Manipur.

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