Fragile peace in Manipur

Violent clashes in Manipur have exposed deep ethnic fault lines in the state. The army and central paramilitary forces, which rushed to the state following the outbreak of violence, incidents of killings, and arsons, have managed to bring the situation under control. This has also allowed the central and state governments to push for confidence-building measures. Peace will remain fragile until families belonging to Kuki and Meitei communities displaced by the clashes are able to return to their homes. The state government has alleged the involvement of some militant outfits under Suspension of Operations (SoO) in the violence, which is a worrisome development. A Joint Monitoring Committee consisting of the state and the central forces has been taking steps to ensure that militant outfits under Suspension of Operations (SoO) return to their designated camps. The monitoring team is also trying to ascertain if other armed groups other than the militant outfits under SoO were behind the violence. The reiteration of the demand for separate administration raised by ten Kuki legislators after the rejection of the demand by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh indicates that the confidence-building process is going to be longer and tougher than it appears. Seven of these legislators belong to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party; two of them belong to the ruling ally Kuki People’s Alliance; and one is an independent legislator. The Chief Minister has gone on record stating that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured that the unity and integrity of the state would not be allowed to be affected at any cost. As all ten legislators insisting on the demand for a separate administration for the Kukis are part of the BJP-led ruling coalition, the state and central BJP leaders can play a crucial role in the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state by prevailing upon all legislators of the ruling coalition belonging to all communities in the state to make united efforts in building confidence among displaced people to return to their homes and work places at the earliest. Restoration of peace must be the top priority for all stakeholders, and it is advisable for all organisations and groups to refrain from any activities that may foment fresh tension and trouble. The Army, Assam Rifles, and various central and state forces acted swiftly to rescue and evacuate people to safety, but the loss of more than 70 lives, over two hundred injuries, and displacement of thousands of families in widespread violence that started on May 3 pointed towards the failure of the central and state intelligence apparatus to read the signals of deep-rooted ethnic divides over the demand by Meitei organisations for inclusion of the majority community in the list of Scheduled Tribes and opposition by Kuki organisations snowballing into violent ethnic clashes. According to official data, about 1,700 houses were torched, while over 1,000 weapons and over 7,000 rounds of ammunition were snatched by miscreants from security personnel. Recovery of every single weapon and ammunition is vital to prevent further loss of life, and security forces must remain vigilant. Securing the cooperation of the people and community organisations to convince those in illegal possession of such looted arms and ammunition to return them to the government is essential to thwarting any sabotage by armed miscreants. The outbreak of violence, irrespective of whatever the trigger may be, is a manifestation of ethnic fault lines deepening over the Hill Valley Divide, which has shaped Manipur’s demographic cauldron. Meiteis, who account for 53% of the state population, live in the valley area, which comprises only 10% of the total geographic area, while Kukis, Nagas, and other ST groups account for the rest (47% of the population), who mostly live in the hills, which comprise 90% of the total geographic area. Economic disparity between the valley and hill regions is widening due to the failure of successive state governments to bridge the gap through equitable and proportionate resource distribution. Growing unemployment and a lack of economic opportunities in the landlocked state bordering Myanmar are contributing factors behind deepening ethnic fault lines, with various organisations identifying the constitutional provisions of reservation as the only viable solution to address their economic aspirations and preserve their linguistic, cultural, and ethnic identities. Refugees from Myanmar entering the state and settling down have added a new dimension to questions of ethnicity, land rights, and demography. Finding answers to these questions requires the articulation of calibrated policies through informed and rational discourse. Ignoring these real issues will only worsen the situation, while irrational and emotional responses will only prolong it. The immediate priority for everyone in the state should be to restore confidence in every community to live together in peace and harmony and without fear or apprehension. Peace rallies, not protest rallies, can embolden confidence-building measures.