Everyone waited with great expectations that the Prime Minister of India would talk about the ethnic conflict in Manipur after a video went viral. And he did speak, but only about the rape case video which became viral.
He said the rape has shamed 140 crore people of India and urged all state governments to enforce law and order and safeguard women. Many people were thinking that the Prime Minister is too embarrassed/ashamed/angry at the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur between the dominant Meitei community and the Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribes to dignify it with a statement. PM Modi did speak about rape but did not speak on the ethnic killings which is the primary problem currently faced by Manipur. The PM failed to acknowledge the ethnic killings and condemn them with strong words.
Remember, PM Modi had chided Putin on the international stage on the ongoing Russia and Ukraine war and said that this is not the ‘era for war’. He is right! Everyone appreciated his courageous statement made to Putin. The days of imperialism, hegemony and jingoism are over. The youth and the world are more worried about climate change and the over-exploitation of natural resources. Everyone is worried about what type of universe they will leave behind for future generations. In respect of Manipur, PM Modi may have opened his mouth but has not addressed the real issues of Manipur namely the ethnic conflict.
He shrewdly spoke of dishonourable behaviour naming Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Manipur leaving an opening for the BJP spokespersons to talk of rape in all these states and say that such behaviour is common everywhere. Nothing humane, but Realpolitik.
The current conflict in Manipur, in spite of what the government says, without a doubt, is an ethnic cleansing conflict. It is not a mere law and order problem. Meira Paibis are still seeking out Chin-Kuki-Mizo people from the streets of Imphal Valley and are handing them over to the radicalised youths to decide the fate of individuals in their impromptu kangaroo court.
After 78 days of ethnic clashes, Moreh town and Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts have been ‘cleansed’ of Meiteis. On the other side, the state capital city of Imphal and the Imphal valley have been ‘cleansed’ of Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribes.
Strange you may say, but this is sadly the reality that the society of the state is already divided. Governments, both the centre and state, have not been able to do much in the last 78 days to change the situation in Imphal and the peripheral areas adjoining the Imphal valley. Provoked into speaking against the rape, PM Modi had only talked about how this single incident has shamed the nation and asked the state governments across the nation to administer law and order properly to ensure the safety of women.
He did not talk about the shameful ethnic killings going on in Manipur. He did not say anything about the deep ethnic divide in Manipur or condemn the ongoing ethnic killings. The Chin-Kuki-Mizo people have not returned to Imphal and the burned villages in the state are still deserted without any efforts to resettle or rebuild them. The two warring communities are wary and suspicious of each other and the Nagas are worried that they may be dragged into the conflict.
Even today, the Meira Paibis (women vigilante group) are seeking out persons belonging to the other warring side in Imphal Valley and are handing them over to the radicalised youths (kangaroo court) to execute them. This happened recently to one M. Lucy Maring, a single mother of a class 10th girl who suffered from mental health issues. She said she was a Naga and it was confirmed over a telephone conversation. The barbaric act is shocking, to say the least. But why kill an innocent harmless and defenceless woman regardless of what ethnicity she belongs to? What can any person or organisation hope to achieve by snuffing out a harmless woman? Has it now become a war of attrition and counting the number of deaths, houses and villages burned to avenge them?
One thing is clear – such killings are senseless. The Kuki volunteers are attacking farmers, making it impossible for them to cultivate paddy in the flat lands by the foothills. The desperate Meitei farmers are sending their recently-armed, untrained volunteers to the hills to clear them of snipers but are suffering needless casualties. Nagas are concerned that they may get dragged into the conflict if stray killings of Nagas continue.
It would appear that both sides have lost faith in humanity, compassion, love and co-existence. The Bible says – Love thy neighbour as thyself. We need to search for humane values in our hearts and imbibe them in others.
The two warring communities have not started talking between themselves, but both are talking to the Ministry of Home Affairs. How will there be peace when the two feuding communities are yet to sit down across the table, talk and thrash out their differences to resolve their grievances and find a solution? This is not a mere law and order problem. It is much deeper and insidious than that and needs better understanding at the political level to resolve the ethnic conflict.
Delhi has given what the state needs-close to 50,000 paramilitary forces, relief funds of about Rs100 crore, an able security advisor, instituted an Inquiry Commission and constituted a peace committee. Delhi has not removed Chief Minister Biren Singh or promulgated President’s rule but has allowed him to stay and reposed confidence in his leadership.
With all this support, the state government should have, by now, shown some tangible progress in controlling the law & order situation. But sadly, nothing tangible is evident to halt the ethnic killings.
The state government’s effort for confidence building has not even started. The immediate priority should be to create a safe, secure and habitable environment for the displaced state government employees to return to Imphal. Real and serious efforts should be made to get back all the missing looted/gifted guns. Informers leading to recovery of guns should be rewarded handsomely and persons in possession of illegal arms should be booked and airlifted to jails in Assam and Meghalaya.
Even Meira Paibis and Civil Society Organisations should be controlled and contained as they have been the main obstruction for the state machinery to carry out their duties and they should be meted out similar treatment. In an already vitiated environment, Meira Paibis have often added fuel to the fire. The weaponisation of women (Meira Paibis) is shameful. Their activities in the streets have become detrimental to the ability of the security forces to discharge their duties as the security forces are restrained from using force on women/weaker gender.
I have been inclined to endorse the silence of PM Modi as to why we should look at Delhi whenever we are in trouble and seek intervention when matters can be resolved amongst the parties concerned through talks. The Chin-Kuki-Mizo and Nagas have been living alongside the Meiteis for generations. The Chin-Kuki-Mizo were there before the British colonial power ruled Manipur. The prickly question is the allegation of recently migrating groups from Myanmar settling down in Manipur thereby evoking the fear of upsetting the demography of the state.
The current crisis is a domestic disagreement and it was started by mishandling the situations which could have been better managed with tack (eviction) and transparency (Meitei ST demand in court). Like in every household, there are disagreements and they get resolved through conversations among the family members. The warring sides and the neutral party need to sit down together and have a serious conversation. No mediator from outside the state is required. If needed, the Nagas could act as mediators.
Losses will be recounted and acknowledged, mistakes will be admitted and pardoned/forgiven, and assurance and pledge made that the misunderstanding will not be allowed to happen, and if it does, will be sorted out through discussions. If resources/funds are needed to glue the bonds of understanding and agreement, the parties concerned should work out their fund requirements and place them before Delhi with their plan for peace and a harmonious relationship.
The different communities need to behave like adults and resolve the problems amongst themselves. Both sides should have the onerous task of making the reconciliation plan work.
Everyone knows that the clashes were a reaction to the State government’s actions. The first expression of unhappiness was caused by stern action of eviction from the protected forest which could have been dealt with in a more tactful manner. The second action was the non-action and opaqueness on the part of the state government who failed to be transparent with the current ST of Manipur and also deliberately failed to ask for more time from the High Court in the Meitei ST demand Writ Petition.
The government knew the seriousness of the matter and that it would be strongly objected to by the current ST of Manipur, but in its act of deceit thought that they could surreptitiously obtain a favourable court’s order. The state government knew very well that there was no tribal organisation or individual made a party/respondent in the Writ Petition and it suffers from non-joinder of necessary parties. The rest is history.
We must not forget that the Prime Minister is a very busy man and has many other more important things to worry about like building friendships with powerful foreign countries, strengthening the defence system of the country through the purchase of submarines and fighter aircraft, taking India to a new economic height, conquering space by sending a rocket to the moon, preparing plans and setting the agenda for the next elections in 2024 and making the Indian diaspora proud when he goes abroad of a new and modern India under his leadership.
The Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), with Home Minister Amit Shah in command, has all the authority, access and power to work out draft agreements for various demands made across northeastern States – namely, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) demand in Nagaland, the Tipra Motha demand in Tripura, the separate administration demand by Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribes in Manipur and the Indo-Naga talks for a final Naga settlement.
The MHA would like all these to be hammered out as soon as possible to flaunt a feather on PM Modi’s cap before the coming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
The likelihood of a Big Bang announcement happening by solving all politically related issues in different states of the North Eastern Region (NER) before the 2024 elections is very bright. It seems, the MHA has already worked out a template proposal for ENPO which could be offered, with suitable modifications, to Tripura and Manipur groups too. As far as the Indo-Naga peace talk is concerned, considering that the talks have been painstakingly going on for 26 years and everything possible could already have been discussed and covered many times over and there is no reason why a draft accord document cannot be tabled for final consultation and conclusion in the coming months before the 2024 elections.
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Apparently, the Government of India has ruled out a flag and constitution (Yehzabo) for the Nagas in view of their stand on Kashmir leading to the revocation of Article 370. The Naga public is now suspecting that the NSCN is comfortable with the ceasefire and would like to continue with the ceasefire if given a chance.
The MHA, the Government of India appears to have woken up to this fact and is ready to shove an agreement down the throat of the NSCN, whether they like it or not. This is a new development and potential trouble, but likely to be put into action as parliamentary elections loom large.
When this happens, Prime Minister Modi will talk more elaborately and proudly blow his trumpet. Just be patient. We have reasons to be optimistic about an unprecedented event that will transform the northeastern region for the better. Meanwhile, the policy appears to be to allow Manipur to burn. The Centre will not be perturbed even if the Nagas get dragged into the current conflict in Manipur.
The views expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position
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