Since May 3, there have been ongoing conflicts between the Meitei and the Kuki, resulting in numerous fatalities and missing persons. A recent incident involved the slaughter of 13 Meitei in the Tengnoupal district’s Leithu village.
There’s no indication that this will cease soon. The violence cannot be stopped by GOI or GOM. Thus, everyone is on their own. However, neither group will be able to completely exterminate the other. If that is the case, we ought to concentrate on bringing peace back to our society. Hatred should not be propagated since it will make things worse. It makes the divide between the two groups bigger. We have to accept that we will coexist peacefully whether we like it or not.
Manipur’s territorial integrity cannot be maintained without coexisting with all the communities. It appears that a separate government is succeeding if both the Kuki and the Meitei come to a point where they can no longer coexist. Separate administration is what Kuki desires. Maintaining Manipur’s integrity is the exclusive responsibility of all Manipuris, which is why the Meitei and others declined to accede to the Kuki’s demands. We have to incorporate the people who live there if we want to keep the idea of Manipur. It should be possible for Kuki and Meitei to cross each other’s territory. We will need to get along. We both live in Manipur.
They would inevitably continue to be a part of Manipur if Kuki’s demand is not granted. However, neither tribe will be able to move around as easily as they formerly could due to the severity of the wounds and enmity. People are currently unable to enter each other’s areas. Manipur appears to have broken apart despite maintaining its territorial integrity as a result of this circumstance. Manipur might not disintegrate, but because its people are separate from one another, it seems to be. If the violence doesn’t cease, deeper wounds will damage Manipur’s integrity. The Meitei have always opposed any goals that compromise the integrity of the state. This unwavering stance for territorial integrity among the Meitei is not new, as history demonstrates.
To bring Kuki and Meitei back together, we should prioritise social harmony before exacerbating the situation. Kuki plans to call for a separate administration amid violence, while Meitei should avoid conflict as they have no demands, putting them at a disadvantage. But protecting oneself from others is also crucial. The conflict between us will lead to loss of attachment and impact Manipur’s territorial integrity.
Not all Kuki own poppies or engage in the drug trade, and not all Meitei are good. The Indian state is deemed to be responsible for the issues of narco-terrorists, illegal immigrants, and the drug mafia. Why should Meitei be concerned about drug-related terrorism, illegal immigration, and poppy plantations? due to the Indian government’s failure to carry out its responsibilities. The Indian state’s inaction led to Meitei’s intervention, causing the perception that both sides were bitter enemies. In Kuki’s areas, the Manipur government’s apparatus fails and it is unable to do its regular duties. The persistent violence raises concerns about the government’s weakness or hidden agenda because it could have been stopped seven months ago. Why could not all the army, paramilitary forces and intelligence stop the violence?
The irony of it all is that while the Indian state is aware of the armed revolutionary organizations’ operations, they are powerless to put an end to the violence. Meitei insurgents are a concern to the Indian state since Manipur has been at war with multiple revolutionary organizations since the controversial merger agreement in 1949, with the latter aiming for independence. Manipur was a sovereign nation before then. Before the Indian state was created, Manipur existed. I would say that the Indian state applies the divide-and-rule strategy that the British employed in India to defeat the independent movement to maintain social division and erode the revolutionaries’ dream of an independent Manipur.
To put an end to the insurgency and bolster Indian nationalism, they might resort to a divide-and-rule strategy. It restricts the secessionist scope of action. It affects the idea of Manipur, which weakens cohesiveness. When the diverse ethnicities give up on the dream of independent Manipur, the Indian state grows stronger. India would take all necessary measures to prevent Manipur’s attempt at secession.
The secession movement may eventually be sparked by a decline in trust in India as a result of the Indian state’s failure to defend Manipur’s territorial integrity. Every community in Manipur has its own political goals, but at that time there was no conflict between the populace. They adore and are felt by one another. Kuki, on the other hand, only called for an independent government, as permitted by the Indian Constitution. The Indian state is unaffected by Kuki’s quest for a separate administration. The conflict benefits the Indian state, but it’s a loss for those envisioning a united Manipur. We aim for a better, united Manipur, aiming to end unrest.
Conflicts between Kuki and Meitei suggest they cannot coexist, Kuki’s request might come true eventually—as long as we murder one another. Kuki has grown dissatisfied with the idea of Manipur and desires to separate from it, allowing Kuki to make demands of their own. Manipur’s native inhabitants value the state highly, and Meitei and similar groups are dedicated to upholding its integrity until the end.
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Kuki and Meitei are now focused on opposing each other, disregarding the Indian state, and viewing each other as adversaries, which was the desired outcome for an unseen force. We ought to view the conflicts’ more nuanced picture. The unseen force governs the masses, taking in spectacles hidden from us. The state’s current situation has strained Manipuris’ emotional connections, causing violence separating Kuki from the Manipur concept, and potentially damaging community relationships rather than land. We will exact the same retribution if someone murders us. That’s just how people are. There is a dangerous condition where two communities are unable to see one another. The Indian state’s incapacity and disregard for the matter is evident to all.
Rather than blaming the powerful, we point the finger at one another. There is misery among our people. Our people will suffer as long as the war lasts. Maintaining unity and integrity in Manipur requires establishing peace and a regular life, as killing and fighting will lead to its demise. Kuki and Meetei believe they cannot coexist post-war, but love is crucial for coexistence. Whoever wants to destroy Manipur will gain from the struggle.
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