The meteoric rise of AMADA (All Manipur Anti-Drug Association) from being an insignificant player to a much dreaded household abbreviation is a case that merits greater attention that the dismissive nonchalance the topic usually meets. The 4-page local Manipuri dailies are annoyingly littered with interminable columns of ‘SENGDOKCHABA’, that too in the English script for some baffling reason. In a typical column, an unsuspecting individual apparently caught red-handed by AMADA activists for engaging in the manufacture, sale, consumption or possession of "mayai kaba chinzak" expresses his heart-felt gratitude for the advice tendered by the learned and knowledgeable "AMADAgi ichil inaosing". I am sure the gratitude is genuine, for the poor fellow usually mandatorilly adds an oath abjuring substance abuse for all eternity. Many of such individuals, however, come up with an " ANIRAKSUBA OINA SENGDOKCHABA", the second time with a classic personality photo profile.
Liquor kills. Liquor unites alcoholics and divides families. Liquor turns men into beasts capable of committing the worst of domestic crimes. Liquor drives families into the jaws of bankruptcy. Men steal and women sell- all for liquor.
Indeed, in view of all these, AMADA has a formidable case in point. AMADA has donned the mantle of an unforgiving warrior with the indefatigable resolution of wiping out substance abuse from the space of Manipuri life. (To be precise, from the valley areas since AMADA is for all practical purposes a toothless nobody in the hill districts)
The unusual hyper-activism of AMADA zealots has resulted in an incessant spectacle of hapless individuals admitting their remorseful guilt of having indulged in a reprehensible sin, committed amongst others, by their forefathers, including those of the AMADA bigots'.
AMADA is not an organization that has been authorized to purge Manipur of alcoholism under any act or order of any legislative body. What then gives AMADA the invidious legitimacy and the envious clout that it seemingly enjoys?
One, in Manipur (as in Bihar and many African nations), might is right .So if you can adequately display your newfound might (as AMADA has admirably done so successfully by having its club-wielding (and hence well-armed) unemployed fanatics prowl around in vociferous hordes), what your overbearing mood swings dictate becomes the law - legitimate or otherwise.
Two, the issue of eradicating substance abuse is something few would openly argue against, given its inherently debilitating and destructive nature, and given the already existing courage-sapping ban imposed by the oh-so-powerful assorted self-styled outfits in the state. In effect, this translates into a paralyzing silence on the AMADA onslaught against liquor.
Three, Prohibition imposed by the state government before AMADA was conceived aided in its conception and added to its legitimacy.
Four, some see AMADA as a legitimate extension of the Nisa Bandh, a powerful movement of civil society that arose in the 1970s against substance abuse.
Five, in addition to the stigma of publicity, the fear of being physically assaulted in case of non-compliance with AMADA’s irrevocable fiat legitimizes AMADA’s existence.
Six, even though the state is under Prohibition, the inefficient and corrupt state machinery has created an ominous vacuum by failing to effectively enforce Prohibition. The space thus created gives more than ample room for the likes of AMADA to flourish.
So is AMADA a social reformatory organization worthy of homage? Is AMADA supreme? Does AMADA deserve a prostrated reverence?
No, not in the absolute sense.
Though AMADA may be hell-bent upon doing a commendable job of minimizing instances of substance abuse, the de facto authority that AMADA ha decreed upon itself, legitimized by a public fear psychosis, highlights the dangerous drift towards the law of the jungle that Manipur today finds itself in.
The issue, seen in a larger framework, fits the description of a conflict amongst cultural values. Inevitable conflict results whenever a culturally significant set of values, usually which is specific to a population segment is dumb-wittedly sought to be imposed on the larger populace in the garb of universal values. Kudos to AMADA! It has done just that!
AMADA is not bound by any constitution or code of conduct in its actual functioning. It is a body that works largely on its discretion- in fact, drawn by as many impulsive discretions as the strength of the organization.
A healthy and democratic institute must be accommodative of criticism with the same vigor as it gobbles up laurels. It must view criticism as the way forward to improve upon its working and thereby improve its credibility. Far from being accommodative, the usual norm for AMADA has been to hark back upon its critics with the threat of dire consequences unless a ' sengdokchaba’ for having 'discredited' AMADA is forthcoming. This reeks of insecurity amongst its infamous warrior fanatics.
So why is AMADA insecure?
AMADA discriminates between the big fish and the small fry. One hardly sees the big shots thanking AMADA in the earlier mentioned columns. AMADA seems to be gifted with an uncanny knack of catching only the small fry. Perhaps the lack of bargaining power in the latter has something to do with it. Essentially then, the whole drama is a business.
And where there is discretion, unaccountability and non-transparency, corruption is bound to be rampant. Corruption is certainly not the monopoly of the public sector in Manipur.
Society, unless it is abject, cannot afford to entrust the task of combating substance abuse to an organization that thrives on arbitrariness. The primary responsibility here belongs to the appropriate state organs. In this context, it is worth mentioning that enforcing class-dependent Prohibition- one which restricts the man on the street and leaves out the military, the paramilitary, the police, the bureaucratic class and the political class- just wont do. No rational society would accept double and triple and quadruple standards.
The role of civil society is to ensure that the state machinery is kept well oiled and not found rusted and wanting. One might well argue that AMADA is the crystallization of civil society's efforts to curb one of humankind's self destructive obsessions. Yet, in many respects, AMADA resembles one contingent in the ceaseless parade of mob censorship. Rehabilitation of alcohol addicts together with the provision of an adequate alternative means of livelihood to those involved in the supply chain ought to be the primary concern of responsible agencies in the fight against alcoholism. Given that the alcohol market forms the economic basis for subsistence of many localized communities in Manipur, AMADA's concerns appear to be dangerously misdirected. It appears AMADA is solely concerned with increasing the amount of space its helpless victims take up in the local dailies. When rehabilitation concerns are absent, the methods and purpose of AMADA are called into question. That the methods employed by AMADA are debatable is borne out by statistics: the increasing number of columns titled 'ANIRAKSUBA OINA SENGDOKCHABA'.
Thus, social stigma borne of unwanted publicity for its victims cannot be solely relied upon to curb alcoholism- more so since society as a whole has no unequivocal stigma for alcohol. Moreover, stigma can only complicate matters for an alcoholic who cannot manage his life or his immediate environment. Cultivating fear is not the panacea for all social evils and the likes of AMADA and their sponsors would do well to recognize this.
AMADA unwittingly reveals itself as a power-starved entity. The concern for might inherently betrays the obsession with power. In a chaotic society, numerous power centers exist. AMADA considers itself as one such centre and giving serious competition to it is another like-minded organization - lo and behold! CADA!!
This article must not be seen giving a clarion call for the legitimization of alcohol abuse. Certainly, alcohol is not a part of our dietary requirements. However, I firmly believe, be it AMADA or CADA, DADAgiri and mobocracy have no place in a democratic society. As for alcohol, the product sells because a market exists. The tragedy for those genuinely concerned with the battle against is that the market would continue to exist.
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