Manipur
The “ABC” of Manipur!
A – AFSPA, AIDS, Apunba Lup, AMSU, AMUCO, ANSAM
B – Bandh, Boycott
C – Cerfew, Commando, Corruption, Contract
D – Dharna, Drugs, DESAM
E – Effigy, Economic Blockade
F – Fake Encounter, Fake Appointment, Faction
G – Gun Culture, Guli(Goli)
H – Highway Blockade
I – IRB
J – Jamin(Jamin da Shatpa), Jail
K – Kidnapping, Killing, Khwairamband
L – Lawlessness, Lock-up
M – Meira Paibi, Murder, MU, Moreh
N – Naga Issue, NGO
O – O Ibobi
P – Party, Protest, Percentage
Q – Quota
R – Ransom, Rubber Bullet, Rally, Rape
S – Sharmila, School Mei Thaba, Salary, Spasmo Proxyvon
T – Tear Gas, Torture, Threat, TALAB(Gutkha), Thika (Thekka)
U – UCM, UNC, Unemployment
V – Victim
W – Wakat Meepham
X – ‘xtortion
Y – Youth
Z – Zarda
The Sketch Meme!
Mahak tagged me in a fun meme yesterday. She gave me 5 words and asked to draw/ paint/ sketch a picture each using those words. The words for me were:
- Momos
- Mahak
- NetEdge
- War Movies
- Manipur
Sketching with MS Paint is not my cup of tea. It sucks big time and I hate it. I have seen people doing wonders with this ‘stone-age’ tool. Incredible!! I tried using it but failed miserably. I have used Photoshop and Corel Draw instead.
Mahak..and her 1000 watt smile. Used Photoshop (pencil + smudge tools) for this sketch . Took me more than one hour.
A hot plate of non-veg steamed Momos. 'Momo's Point' at K'Nag Market serves the best momo in Delhi.
War Movies. My favorite time pass. Wish to buy one BIG screen someday.
NetEdge. A-14, Sector-7, NOIDA. I have fond memories of this 'building'.
Map of Manipur, my home state.
To pass the meme on, I tag Preeti. And the 5 magik words are:
- Cell Phone
- Masala Dosa
- Car
- Interview
- Terrorist
Draw pictures using the words . You can use any tool of your choice. Pass it on to other people with a fresh set of 5 words.
Child Soldiers: A Global Phenomenon
Sometimes their guns are taller than they are. But the child soldiers can be frighteningly cold and effective……they take macho noms de guerre like “Col. Rambo” and “Brig. Chop Them Up.” – CNN
Who is a child soldier?
A child soldier is any person under 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers and anyone accompanying such groups, other than family members. The definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage. It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms.
- Cape Town Principles and Best Practices on the Recruitment of Children into the Armed Forces and on Demobilization and Social Reintegration of Child Soldiers in Africa (UNICEF, 1997)
Child Soldiers in Thailand
Children who are exposed to war and trapped in war zones, whose families are torn apart, can be drawn into the fighting and forced to witness or perpetrate atrocities, sometimes against their own families. They can be scarred for life, their childhoods shattered.
It is estimated that more than 300,000 children under 18 may be actively participating in armed conflicts worldwide. Over the last decade, more than a million may have suffered this fate. Hundreds of thousands more are enrolled in armed forces in countries not currently involved in armed conflict. These children, some as young as 8, become fighters, spies and even human shields. Some children are kidnapped from their schools or their beds, some are recruited after seeing their parents slaughtered, some may even choose to join the militias as their best hope for survival in war-torn countries from Colombia, and across Africa and the Middle East, to south Asia. Once recruited, many are brainwashed, trained, then sent into battle with orders to kill. They are easy to manipulate and will do the unspeakable without question or protest, partly because their morals and value systems are not yet fully formed. The problem is most critical in Africa and Asia, but armed groups in the Americas, Eurasia, and the Middle East also use children.
Recently some disturbing news are also doing the rounds in Manipur
“At least 45 cases of kidnappings by suspected militants or armed gunmen including 21 missing reports of children below the age of 18 years were reported at the different police stations in Manipur during the past around six and half months since the beginning of this year. The figure, however, does not include reported attempt to kidnap children or rescue of children by the people as well as by the police after July 16 which local media have been reporting everyday. Of the 45 cases 21 are related with kidnapping of 24 children in which five have been released by the kidnappers while another five escaped from the kidnappers…”
- Kanglaonline.com
Most of the millitant outfits are washing their hands clean off the allegations!!
We have only one voice. Stop recruiting/kidnapping children as child soldiers. Even if they come to join willingly…please return them to their parents after teaching them the morale and values of life. People will appreciate your conduct.
References: CNN, International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, Amnesty International, Imphal Free Press
Picture Courtesy: http://infinitesimally.wordpress.com
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