Religious leaders must act as peacemakers in manipur, says eminent theatre personality Dr. Ratan Thiyam

In a bid to restore peace and stability in Manipur, eminent theatre personality Dr. Ratan Thiyam has called upon religious leaders across the state to play an active role as peacemakers. Expressing his concerns over the grave situation prevailing in Manipur, Dr. Thiyam emphasized the need for religious leaders from temples, Masjids, Churches, and other places of worship to collaborate and seek ways to restore peace.

Speaking to the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Dr. Thiyam urged these religious leaders to assist the government in bringing the conflicting parties to the negotiating table. He emphasized the importance of their intervention in resolving the ongoing conflict.

Addressing the central government, Dr. Thiyam appealed for genuine commitment and empathy during this crisis in the state. He requested the continuous presence of different ministers to study the ground reality and understand the gravity of the situation. By demonstrating such commitment, the central government can play a crucial role in finding a way out of the present crisis, he asserted.

Highlighting the hardships faced by the common people, including rising prices and scarcity of essential commodities, Dr. Ratan Thiyam stressed the need for experts within the government to provide effective solutions. He urged all ministers and MLAs to visit the affected areas, listen to the grievances of the people, and assure them of the state government's support.

Dr. Thiyam acknowledged that the current situation arose from a discord between two communities and implored both sides to deescalate the tension and come to the negotiating table. He urged the state government to seriously consider the possibility of such an arrangement. Furthermore, he expressed his disappointment over the weaknesses in the state's intelligence network, stating that timely alerts could have potentially avoided the present situation.

Appealing to the people of Manipur, Dr. Ratan Thiyam called upon the diverse communities, who have coexisted for centuries, to intervene in this critical scenario and work towards finding a peaceful solution. He emphasized that the clash resulted from a misunderstanding between two communities, and with the intervention of the rest of the communities, both sides can be encouraged to listen and act accordingly.

Dr. Ratan Thiyam, the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987, is a prominent Indian playwright and theatre director. He is known for his contributions to the "theatre of roots" movement, which incorporates ancient Indian theatre traditions in contemporary contexts. With his expertise in various aspects of theatre, including direction, design, script, and music, Dr. Thiyam is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary theatre gurus. He served as the Chairperson of the prestigious National School of Drama from 2013 to 2017.