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History's Landmark (Sept 24) September 11, 2001 will be one of those mileposts of history to be remembered for all time. More than a milestone, it will perhaps be another major fulcrum on which the history of the world swings and changes courses--- as important as the Hiroshima or Pearl Harbor, if not Christopher Columbus or the Magna Carta. Although the full impact of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, is still to unfold totally, not just America, but also the whole world is never going to be the same again. While there can be no reason to doubt the optimism that the impact on the world economy will recover from the shock, it will be equally beyond doubt that the trepidation felt in the area of international power equations will have very permanent consequences. When the churnings settle down, in all likelihood, international relations would have been altered unrecognizably. Furthermore, even the parameters of ethics on a number of sensitive issues would have transformed. Some hints of the shape of things to come, we are already beginning to witness. As for instance, the US has in its preparation for its retaliation to the September 11 attacks, lifted crippling sanctions on India and Pakistan, imposed ever since the two countries decided to come open with their nuclear capabilities three years ago. The debate on the ethics of selective political assassinations seems also to be headed for a new direction, at least as far as the US is concerned. The conspicuous absence of any outrage at the revelation of the former US President, Bill Clinton, that he had sanctioned an operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden, is just a pointer. As per Clinton, now that the US has managed to rope in Pakistan and India as allies in this war against terrorism, the right intelligence to make clinical strikes at the enemy number one of the US, at least for the time being, and his network, may no longer be an impossibility. Among the many other areas that would have seen drastic shifts in perception would be the concept of nationhood. This is particularly against the interpretation of Islam by some as a nation. Ethereal as it is, a good section of the practitioner of the religion seem to believe this nationhood transcends the boundaries of political nations. Hence the fear that the war against terrorism may come to be interpreted as a war against Muslims. In a less fundamental scenario, this fear would have been superfluous. Perhaps it would never even have occurred as a possibility. But the positive signs are, not all buy the argument. Many still prefer to keep religion separate from politics. Not all Muslims agree Islam is a trans-national nation. That the forces that bind a nation together and those that bind a religion together cannot be equated. On a smaller canvas, and in a different context, there is a lesson for those of us in Manipur too in the turmoil that the world is today. We have to be able to separate myths from reality. It was certain historical logic that shaped Manipur and kept it together. Attempts to defy this age-old logic will definitely lead to turmoil. It is also important to recast this logic from time to time considering the hue of the background reality is in a constant state of flux. Just as the world must come to terms with September 11, so must Manipur with June 18. (Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press) Back to Top FrontPage Manipur Profiles Features Potpourri Opinions Editorials Books Photos Links Archives Contact Policy/Disclaimer |
