Uncertainty and anxiety still loom large as Manipur enters its seventh month into the crisis. Violence broke out between ethnic communities—the majority of Meiteis, who are largely Hindus and the Kuki-Zo tribal groups, who are predominately Christians. Valley districts of Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal, and Hill tribal districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal were severely hit by the conflict. Naga areas are relatively calm, though they too reported a few incidents.
The affected districts continue to live in fear and experience extreme hardships – mentally, and physically. The village defence volunteers are still guarding their area of dominance. Buffer zones remain in many areas that indicate the borderline of control for each community.
Till today, sporadic violence, abduction, killings, and waylaying people on the road continue to be reported, while thousands are still lodged in relief camps in various locations across Imphal Valley and tribal hill areas.
By now, civilian evacuations were complete. Under high-security cover families, individuals were shifted to their district of choice: Kuki-Zo tribals moved to the hill areas, and Meiteis moved into the valley districts.
Government employee transfers and postings followed community affiliations or community-inhabited districts; for example, Kuki-Zo staff were transferred to tribal districts and Meitei staff to the valley districts. Several high-ranking officials and central service staff were also transferred out of the state. Likewise, students were also moved to various locations and institutions according to their community’s inhabited areas. Somehow, it resembles a total separation between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo people in Manipur.
The death toll is believed to be greater than the official 175 (dated September), along with many missing persons. More than 200 villages were razed to ashes, and more than 60 thousand people were rendered homeless. The majority of those killed and displaced were the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar people.
It may also be mentioned that about 94 bodies ( including some unidentified) are still lying in hospital mortuaries in Imphal and Churachandpur, mostly belonging to the Kuki-Zo people from the tribal districts. An attempt to claim the dead and exchange of the bodies between the two groups has failed.
It may be recalled that almost a month into the mayhem, Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in the state on May 29. During his 3-day stay, Shah had appealed to the two warring groups for a 15-day ceasefire to facilitate and bring back normalcy. He had also reportedly said that he would return to visit the state.
Until now, killings and violence have continued, and the Union home minister hasn’t come back since then.
As per the centre and state government arrangement for maintaining law and order, Shah is in charge of the hill areas ( the Kuki-Zo) while state CM Biren Singh takes the responsibility for the valley – the Meiteis.
Moreover, Home Minister Shah had announced a judicial probe panel, a peace committee, and an inter-agency unified command for better coordination, besides other welfare services such as non-interruption of essential supplies, medical aid, and helicopter services for Lamka, Moreh, and Kangpokpi for connectivity outside the state.
The SC-led judicial inquiry has supposedly kicked off, though until now no major status update has been heard or reported in the media.
Relief camps in Kuki-Zo areas, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal districts, are in extremely dilapidated conditions. Out of more than 350 relief camps, Churachandpur hosted a maximum of more than 100 camps, excluding those lodged in houses and with relatives. More than 50 inmates have succumbed to their illnesses and died in these relief camps in Churachandpur. It may also be mentioned that in the relief camps, there are several pregnant women and lactating mothers. The hospitals in the tribal hill districts are not well equipped and lack basic infrastructure and medical practitioners.
Added to this are the poor connectivity and transport services in the tribal hill district, which are cut off. With valley-based CSOs and women groups blocking highways and roads, the only route is neighbouring Mizoram, which is even less equipped to deal with healthcare services. Let alone the road connectivity.
Helicopter services have been reportedly taking off two or three times, such as from Lamka to Aizawl. While the service is rare and poorly organized, with the high ticket price tickets this does not draw much interest as people prefer road transport.
Meanwhile, Eastern Army Commander Lt.Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita told reporters in Guwahati that over 5000 arms were looted and snatched by the Meitei mob from the security forces, of which around 1500 were returned and some 4000 are still missing at large.
An inter-agency unified command was set up for security coordination. All the while, in recent months media reports have mentioned that insurgent groups, such as the VBIG, and valley-based insurgent groups (the Meitei insurgent groups in particular), have reportedly crossed over the border and were either physically or otherwise party to the violence.
The hill-based rebel groups that are under suspension of operation (SOO)—the Kuki-Zo groups in particular—have repeatedly come under criticism, alleging their involvement in the ongoing crisis.
A list of 51 names of members of a proposed Peace Committee was announced in early June to be chaired by the Governor. The members of the committee include the chief minister, state ministers, MPs, MLAs, leaders of political parties, and civil society groups, including Naga community representatives.
With none of the member’s approval or acceptance, the peace committee died even before it started.
After 4 months, about 200 prefabricated houses were handed over to displaced families in Imphal by the state chief minister. On the other hand, the prefabricated housing for the hill tribal areas for the Kuki-Zo displaced has not taken off.
At this point, Manipur does not seem to see normalcy returning shortly. Every observer or concerned citizen is of the view that the conflict is not going to conclude soon. Many have expressed that the conflict has seriously seeped into the very psyche of the people, especially the two warring groups, with no sign of agreeing to a ceasefire, let alone a reconciliation. A third-party fact-finding or visit report by civil society or a team is met with hostility. The ethnic war is fought not only physically but also on social media, verbally, and visually.
At this juncture, what is extremely crucial is the political will to find a solution, as Ratan Thiyam, a renowned theatre personality who expressed his reluctance and unwillingness to be a member of the Peace Committee, stated in his interview with Karan Thapar in The Wire.
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The nature of the conflict is undoubtedly political and, therefore, seeks a political alternative. In the current state of affairs, the state government representatives and its leadership needed to seriously sit together. Rather than pointing out accusations or attempts to legally disqualify the Kuki-Zo legislators, who are unable to attend assembly sessions due to the situation ( it may be remembered that a Kuki-Zo legislator V.Valte was attacked and almost hacked to death in Imphal) it would be of huge impact if all the 60 odd MLAs come together—at least to dialogue for a start.
Say, why not hold a discussion and meet in a neighbouring state, maybe Guwahati, where all of them can physically come together? Or maybe in Delhi, with the coordination of the central leadership? Perhaps, if at all, the centre and state are seriously interested.
The unfortunate thing is that it appears neither the state nor the central government seems to be proactively working on bringing some sense of normalcy. Perhaps the crisis will die a natural death when all the warring groups are tired and worn out. And the disease will remain if it is not healed.
That would be a worrying situation and a total collapse of Manipur.
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