Opinion: DK peace meet should go beyond post-mortem


By John B Monteiro

Mangaluru, Jul 12: Dakshina Kannada (DK) guardian minister, B Ramanath Rai, has said a peace meeting of all elected representatives will be held at the DC’s office on July 13 to restore peace and communal harmony in the district. The participation in this meet, to realize its objectives should be broad-based and include eminent persons beyond politicians. Otherwise, such a meeting, as envisaged now, will mimic the legislature in Bangaluru, minus the Speaker, and end up in mutual accusations between government legislators and their counterparts in opposition. There will be blame-game and recrimination between these two sides.

Such peace meet assumes that beyond legislators there are no persons who are interested, or could be instrumental in restoring and maintaining peace in the district. The concern for restoring and maintaining peace in DK goes beyond the narrow confines of legislators and politicians. There are educationists like vice-chancellors of universities in DK, eminent professors and principals of colleges, writers and social workers who could be usefully drawn into the process of restoring and maintaining peace. And why not the mayor of Mangaluru and district and taluk panchayat heads? They are the ones who are in the thick of facing the heat on the ground.


File Photo

Today Mangaluru has imposed itself on the national and global consciousness as a flash-point of violence in the name of religion and culture. It has tarnished its image of being the Mecca of quality higher and professional education. It is sure to ring alarm bells in those national and global investors who have been checking out Tulunadu as a potential investment destination. There is a vicious circle here. Unemployed youth, in their frustration, have been doing desperate things and providing fodder for motivated malignities. The repeated cycle of violence evaporates their hope of landing a job through plight of large scale investments in Tulunadu. Who profits from this myopic madness?

What goes wrong and what can be righted? Tulunadu had a tradition of harmony and hospitality. But, small extremist fringes on all sides of the communal and cultural divide do not share the fine sensitivity of the general populace. Like it takes just a pinch of any adulterant to spoil the whole vessel of milk, these fringe elements vitiates the tone and tenor of peaceful life in Tulunadu.

The one thing that strikes any discerning observer of the Tulunadu scene in the context of violence is the lack of leaders who stand up to be counted. When things go wrong, the right people appear to go underground. The political leadership is only interested in fishing in troubled waters and plays the mutual blame game. In the absence of good men on the surface, bad men have a field day. In such a situation, it only takes a determined small group to enforce bundhs and destroy carefully targeted property.

So, what is the way out? As a Tulunadu proverb says, "You don’t go around looking for a toilet, like a dog, after the bowels are ready to burst". There is much talk about inter-communal peace committees in the midst of every crisis. Such committees, called mohalla committees in cities like Mumbai, have been effective in many places and situations. But, such committees, once formed, should have continuity and sustained active life over time, including during peace time.
The fire brigade provides an ideal model. Its infrastructure like water lines and control valves are in place. But, firemen constantly go around making sure that the infrastructure is in working order. For, when the fire is on, you cannot have a rusted valve due to disuse and unable to be opened. Therefore, these committees should periodically, say quarterly, meet and keep working relationship going.

Sadly mohalla committees or inter-community committees, dominated by politicians and religious leaders, have often failed to deliver mainly because of deficit of trust among its participants. Such committees have many a time degenerated into platforms for mutual accusations and blame-games. The constitution of such committees should have a paradigm shift. Instead, we should have Council of Concerned Wise Persons, comprising, for instance, educationalists like past and present vice chancellors, retired CMDs of banks and PSUs resident in Tulunadu and professionals like engineers, lawyers and chartered accountants. They should continuously monitor and make binding recommendations for maintaining peace and eliminating conflict-provoking irritants, consistently with retaining core dogmas and rituals. The DC of the district could be its convener, with range and district police heads co-opted. They should provide the staff for their effective functioning. Such "peacenik committees" should be more than an emergency fire brigade and hold regular periodic meetings.

There should be a spirit of give and take till it hurts. Let us say that the community leaders sit on in DC's office, with the DCs, as co-convener of the committee, taking the chair. Each side should get involved, like in an auction, in a competitive surrender of what they consider to be their “rights”, real or perceived, or what the opposition might want done. This way, many irritants, which often provoke conflict and violence, can be eliminated without adversely compromising the core rituals and values of religions and communities.

Finally, will our enlightened leaders, who currently seem paralyzed, beyond issuing soothing statement to the media, surface and stand up to be counted and provide leadership and direction to the misguided fringe groups thirsting for violence and revenge?


Above all, let us be optimistic and not lose hope. As William Bryant, US poet (1794-1878), had said:
The fiercest agonies have shortest reign;
And after dreams of horror, comes again
The welcome morning with its rays of peace.

  

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Comment on this article

  • SMR, Karkala

    Thu, Jul 13 2017

    Instead of peace meeting just take the undertaking from Sangh Parivar leaders who incite public in the name of religion.
    One thoughtful advice is to shuffle the entire law enforcement department from top to lower ranks is feasible. Close down pump business of threat for security. All rallies and religious meet should be prior permission from the DC and law enforcement officers and there should be undertaking from the organisers. In the event undue incident organiser should be held accountable and he should be arrested without bail.
    All this repeated attack and communal violence is nothing but early preparation of BJP to win maximum numbers of vote from undivided Canara which serves the Sangh Parivar as headquarter of South India.
    Jai Hind

    DisAgree [2] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • sanjay shastri, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    As usual John Monteiro has a written a thoughtful article. At times in the article he has not gone far enough and articulated enough what he proposes. He is a rare breed of journalist a very rare breed who does not shy away from pointing out inadequacies in all parties. Not once in this write up has he used the word "secular" or secular fabric which is very refreshing. He notes that there has to be give and take now and the "in your face" attitude is in part something that has contributed to the deterioration of society in India. The other point of there not being jobs is also a very valid point. Not once does he blame Modi or his government, but focuses at the same time on the nub of the problem, employment. Employment individuals will be stakeholders in maintaining law and order and not breaking and damaging public property. The current government is bringing in investment and as Monteiro correctly points out to attract such foreign investment, not only must DK have the infrastructure but also a stable society and work force. His analysis is absolutely correct. In the past DK missed out inspite of a well educated society and work force. Youth left for Mumbai and Gulf countries. In some cases the effect was the import of virulent philosophies and ideologies. We are in a situation of economic growth with not much job growth. Make in India policies will need time to kick in and our local entrepreneurs should grab a big piece of this pie. Not just service industry but also manufacturing. The recent visit of Modi to Israel highlighted de-salination and perhaps Mangalore can become a leader in such technology or at the very least implement this to remove the chronic water shortage problem. All this requires leadership, vision and calm minds and journalists who criticize in constructive ways. Monteiro is one such. Kudos to you for an excellent op-ed piece and looking forward to others. Your historical pieces in the past have also been excellent.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • peddu, managluru

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    WASTING OF MANHOURS FOR BOGUS DISCUSSIONS !! THIS WAS ALL PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ELECTIONS !

    CROCODILE TEARS SHEDDING FROM ALL PARTIES TO GARNER THE VOTES FROM THE SAME COMMON MAN WHO ELECT THEM AND DIE FOR THEM MERCILESSLY

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nazeer husain, Jeddah Saudi arabia

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Show the jail room to sanghi leaders edpecially for hate speech will solve the problem.If any Muslim organization provoakes hatred then use the same action.Nobody has the right to use insulting word about any relegion.Whenever Muslims got hurt or attacked physically or verbally by sanghis the reactive voice so strong in mangalore by the great popular front organization. Remember when suratkal voilence there was nobody to assist legally or any help caused nine human life lost.Fortunately the situation has change nowadays and that's the allergic part for sangh Parivar.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Karnataka voters will now have to think 10 times before casting their vote in 2018 ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jamal, Mangalore/UAE

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Hope for a better resolution for the sake of peace in DK. Better sense prevail and this meet may succeed to have the old Kudla back which is much needed.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rudolf Rodrigues, Mumbai

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Excellent suggestions Sir!!

    It will be even highly recommended to involve or take suggestions from eminent people who have gotten involved at the ground level of such peace committees and been highly successful in the likes of Julio Ribeiro whose Mohalla Committee concept was highly successful in defusing a highly charged up Mumbai post the deadly 1992 riots!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Call a peace meet for all elected representatives, active heads of BD , PFI, KFD and Ramsena. When all of them arrive, just lock them inside the same room for a month.
    When they come out after a month, they will see a peaceful, harmonious and happy Mangalore.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [43] Reply Report Abuse

  • kas, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    why RSS and BJP is left out ......

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    you forgot congress.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Comman, Man

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Dont invite the trouble maker..here no arrgivement..no objections..no blames.. only should be suggestion to make way for peace

    DisAgree [4] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harish, BCRoad

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    Who will decide who is the trouble maker?

    DisAgree [4] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • G R PRABHUJI, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 12 2017

    I wish all the Best for the peace meet. Good result will come out I believe.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse


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