Travelure
BY HUGH AND COLLEEN GANTZER
When a great earthquake rocks the submarine world it produces a gigantic force. But because it is so deep within the ocean, it appears as a small fast ripple on the surface. However, as this titanic force speeds across the rising levels approaching a shoreline, it assumes the shape of a growing wave. By the time this reaches the shore it has risen to monstrous proportions like the white crested head of a towering sea monster. This tsunami hits the shoreline with devastating power obliterating settlements, villages, towns and even cities in its wake. Tsunamis are a wonderful metaphor of the fiendish power released by religious wars.
Such holy wars tap the deep wells of human bigotry and superstition releasing abominable cruelties and horrors. There are enough examples of these atrocities all across history and all across the world, including our country. We, in India, to protect our own interests, have already got involved in such a war. According to a news report, 10 to 12 of our warships are protecting our essential sea lanes from the north and central Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Our Guided-missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam sped to the rescue of Mashall Islands MV Genco Picardy with its 22 member crew which included 9 Indians. The merchant ship had been reputedly attacked by drones launched by Houthis. It can thus be claimed that India has participated in the war between Israel and the Hamas.
Nearer home Pakistan and Iran are standing toe to toe, landing blow for blow. Both however claim that they are fighting their own people who have sought shelter in the other country. In other words, they are killing home-grown terrorists. Extending this argument to its logical conclusion, Pakistan should have had no objection to India eliminating terrorists based in Pakistan. These terrorists were once considered as assets protected by the ISI and the Pakistan Army. But it was rather expensive to protect such people, particularly in a nation strapped for funds. Their Spin Doctors then created “unknown gunmen” to explain the demise of these embarrassments. We have no doubts however that when an extreme right wing party comes to power in Pakistan they will present a case for such deaths in international fora.
Finally there is the mysterious happening in Manipur. Whatever commentators may say to the contrary, this is clearly a conflict, a carefully structured battle between two ethnic groups who belong to different faiths. Could this therefore be viewed as another holy war? The Red Dragon, breathing its poisonous fumes from across the border would be delighted to promote this idea. Is this the reason why our government seems to be working behind the scenes while keeping a very low profile? But the Dragon is far too astute an entity to miss the opportunity to fish in these troubled waters. The Chinese Dragon had succeeded in doing to their Muslim minorities what the Nazis did to their Jews. But they will not hesitate to play up ethnic and sectarian differences in Manipur. Are they doing this? We do not know. This remarkable absence of information from this highly sensitive north-eastern state should be a matter of great concern to all right thinking people. The absence of information leads to rumours and rumours provide fertile grounds for idle speculation. The Government should turn its extremely efficient publicity machinery onto Manipur. It has proved that it has the ability to blanket the media with its views. We must turn the spotlight on Manipur and keep it there to foil the Dragon’s agents who work in the dark to spread their poisonous and divisive agenda whenever they find the fertile ground to do so.
And here is a very interesting fact. According to a report quoted in GOOGLE on the 9th of January 2024, Kukis and Nagas makeup 40% of the population of Manipur but Kuki and Naga women account for 90% of the IMA Market. Would this be a reason why the violence in Manipur targeted the women of these ethnic communities? It seems to be a meticulously planned sexually oriented assault. But who in India, has the Authority, Resources and Expertise to execute such ethnic cleansing ? That is the unanswered question.
(Hugh & Colleen Gantzer hold the National Lifetime Achievement Award for Tourism among other National and International awards. Their credits include over 52 halfhour documentaries on national TV under their joint names, 26 published books in 6 genres, and over 1,500 first-person articles, about every Indian state, UT and 34 other countries. Hugh was a Commander in the Indian Navy and the Judge Advocate, Southern Naval Command. Colleen is the only travel writer who was a member of the Travel Agents Association of India.) (The opinions and thoughts expressed here reflect only the authors’ views!).
