Stating that the news of drugs in the media, both national and local, has been making headlines which may have projected a negative image of the state, AMUCO president Nando stressed that the honour of the state should also be maintained.
TFM Report
All Manipur Club’s Organisation (AMUCO) president Ph Nando Luwang on Sunday urged all not to politicise the issue of drugs and contended that the issue seems to be diverted.
Nando Luwang was speaking at a one-day workshop on “Drug Use Prevention” cum “Prize Distribution Ceremony” of the state open online slogan competition, organised by the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) at the conference hall of AMUCO office, Kwakeithel, Imphal.
He further said: “Let’s not turn it (drugs issue) into a political issue and use it to gain “respect” or to defame someone or to take political mileage or to drag down someone from his position”.
Stating that some are opposing the acquittal of Lhukhosei Zou and some are welcoming it, the AMUCO president said “it is not about whether he (Lhukhosei Zou) is freed or not, but the main thing is to eradicate drugs from the state and save the people”.
He further said that the issue of drugs in the state may be broadly divided into two types: one that is meant to be sold to the people of the state and another that uses Manipur as a transit route and meant to be sold outside the state.
Terming those who use Manipur as a transit route for their drugs business as “white collar terrorists”, Nando asserted that it should not be the main concern of the state. Instead the focus should be more on the drugs that are being sold widely to the youth of the state, he said. He also calls for study and research to find out how much of the drugs that pass through the state are being spilled over and spread to the community.
Stating that the news of drugs in the media, both national and local, has been making headlines which may have projected a negative image of the state, Nando stressed that the honour of the state should also be maintained.
Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba president L Memchoubi, who attended the workshop as one of the presidium members, said that in 1975, a group of women came out to the streets to fight against illicit substances, mainly alcohol. And then came the human rights abuses, which were encountered by the Meira Paibi. Now the menace of drugs is ravaging the society, she lamented.
Maintaining that high profile people are involved in the business of drugs, she said that a concerted effort is the need of the hour along with the Prime Minister and Manipur chief minister.
Khuraijam Anil, an international certified addiction professional and Priyadarshini M Gangte, Asst Prof History Department, SK Women College, spoke as resource persons.
All Manipur Women’s Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA) president Y Kunjarani and MSF president Sazad Bhuiyamayum also sat on the dias as presidium members.