separation of IFR aircraft in IMC from each other when they can not do it themselves.
When they
cannot do it themselves, or when they
don't do it themselves? There were six other aircraft operating at MNG at that time. None of them hit each other. There's been IFR training over MNG for decades, and many other places, both before and after ATC became 'responsible' for the airspace. Their staffing levels had nothing to do with it.