Manipur's perilous path: Navigating violence, deep ethnic divisions and the quest for elusive peace

Peace is fragile and elusive in Manipur, and with even a small spark, unrest spreads like wildfire. Just as the state was slowly moving towards normalcy, albeit in a perpetually tense manner, the discovery of the brutal killing of two students has once again pushed the state to the brink of violence. The fallout is not good for the state, as AFSPA now stands extended in many parts of the state for six months, except for Imphal Valley. The situation is so worrying that the Centre has prematurely transferred Srinagar SSP Rakesh Balwal to his parent cadre, Manipur, where tensions have been high over the past few months. The deaths of two students from the Meitei community have resulted in massive protests in Imphal, and many students were injured in police action as the violent protests were too close for the chief minister’s safety. This has only made the already fluid situation more volatile. The internet is down in the state until 5 October. Tabulated statements by the state and Central government in the past have indicated that the situation has stabilised since the ethnic conflict that broke out on 3 May in Manipur. The state government took a step forward and lifted the nearly five-month internet ban, only to take several steps back and reinstate the ban. The current situation in the state bordering Myanmar is a close reminder of the mayhem in May only this time the agitators are students. As state leaders on several occasions have voiced that normalcy has been restored the reality on the ground begs to differ. “That’s lip service. It is not coming from the heart,” said the chairman of The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) Pagin. With peace proving to be flickering, people are losing hope in the state and the Central government. The strife-torn state of Manipur has not seen normalcy for months now, as both the Meitei and the Kuki communities have armed themselves, ready for what they call ‘war’ in the fifth month of the violence. Peace in the state may not descend anytime soon, and the process will be challenging. The bullet holes in the walls shrouding Manipur are screaming for an urgent solution. With MLAs from the North East state parked in Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi, one of the MLAs said that they will not leave the National Capital till a solution has been drawn up. A sort of solution-oriented dharna will continue as the call for ‘Chalo Dilli’ echoes among both communities. But the clock is ticking. Back in Manipur, on 18 September, Manipur Police, along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) troops, spent the day firing tear gas and dispersing mobs who were blocking roads near the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) hospital. Gunshots echoed on 12 September when suspected militants, disguised as Manipur Police commandos, killed three tribal villagers in Kangpokpi district. The ‘suspected militants’ quite comfortably crossed through the buffer zones to execute their task, thus rendering the buffer zone useless. Such loopholes are exploited in Manipur by individuals with a vested interest in the ongoing ethnic conflict. The state government alleged that the Central forces resorted to ‘unwanted action against civilians’ at Pallel in Tengnoupal district on 8 August, in which two people died and several others were injured, and it will apprise the Central government of the issue. However, the Central government has remained tight-lipped on Manipur. “Enough is enough,” said another MLA. They are tired of carrying hope in their hearts as they embark on the journey to the New Capital and return with empty promises. This time, however, will be different; a middle ground will be worked out, the MLA said. But he mentioned that in August too, a delegation from Manipur had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had advised them to wait until G20 was over. Such incidents did not make it to the prime-time show, and thus, it cannot be assumed that the on-ground reality is peaceful. For peace to prevail, violence needs to stop. The government has been increasing buffer zones and has deployed additional forces in a feeble attempt to control the violence, but that is a temporary measure. It does not mean ‘all is well’ on the ground. As the G20 summit concluded with a gathering of world leaders, community leaders in Manipur have little hope from the leadership in New Delhi and have mobilised weapons and an ‘army’ of their own. Sporadic killing incidents amidst an ongoing conflict with gunshots in the peripheral areas of the valley continue unabated. Such incidents, along with frequent roadblocks by women-led organisations or mobs, show the uphill battle the law enforcers are facing in the state. Arms and ammunition remain with civilians, militants, and insurgent outfits until now. As old bunkers disappear from the state, newer makeshift ones bloom across fields, while the army carries out operations to uproot them. Violence in the state will continue with occasional highs and lows, like a stock market graph. According to leaders of communities in the hills and the valley, they have taken the matter into their own hands. “We have received threats from other communities, most recently being Cocomi. They said they will remove the barricade in the Thorbung area near Kangwai bordering Churachandpur,” Pagin says. “They’re attempting it with the support of Meira Paibis,” he adds. “We lost many lives in that conflict and have been mourning the lost souls since. Until now, they have not been given justice for their death,” he explains. This ongoing conflict will be looked back upon as another black day for all communities. “We have an awakening day on 3 May,” said Pramot Singh. The Meiteis are adamant on not letting the state divide into two and to keep the integrity of Manipur intact while tribal groups will not settle for anything less than a separate administration. The common fear among tribal leaders is that the Central government might struggle to deliver a political solution. The fear stems from the truth: If history books were to speak, they would describe how New Delhi has failed the tribal communities in the northeast states of the country before, which went unreported. Unfortunately, it took the viral video this time to make headlines. Fights between communities have been an unofficial norm in the state, but why is it different this time? “We will keep on demanding separate administration. We cannot stay together with the Meiteis. If a different administration is not done, we cannot agree to any other arrangement,” said Pagin. “The way forward is that the Centre has to make arrangements for both communities to live as good neighbours but not in the same state. The divide of the state has deepened as the violence has continued irrespective of a ‘political solution.’ The Kuki-Zomi communities have not received any clear map on how things will work out, and presumably, they (the Centre) are working with both communities.” When there is a lull in the ‘battlefield’ the Central government will act. “Till then they are letting it play out on its own,” a paramilitary official said. The boycott of the Assembly session on 29 August by all the Kuki MLAs is not a sign of reconciliation either. Meanwhile, the communities in the hills need a temporary arrangement. Law and order will have to be restored temporarily at the very least and a smooth supply of essentials has to be done for them, the ITLF chairman said. Both communities in the state have pushed out their own narratives targetting the other community and justifying their own deeds which have now been fed to the masses. The demand for separate administration echoes in the hills much louder now. The frustration of passing each day amidst chaos has reached its saturation among the masses. “Till how long can we continue living with strike days on and off? Whatever may be the decision, it is high time a conclusion is reached,” said Sathon, a daily wage worker in Imphal. “Around 90 per cent of the population in the state depends on a daily wage. This conflict affects all,” said a senior administrative officer. The longer it takes to resolve the issues, the stronger the divide will be. Now it depends on how much the communities are willing to see bloodshed of their people before they come to peaceful terms. Meanwhile, security forces on the ground wait for orders from higher authorities as gunshots and arsoning continue. New strategies and new boundaries have to be established for the forces to defend and protect whatever is left of Manipur. The Central government may have avoided questions for five months now on the ongoing violence in Manipur, but it will have to address it when the green curtain is up or when there is nothing left. The author is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views. Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.