Editor,
The state of Manipur continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, with numerous unfounded narratives being spread across media outlets and social media regarding the ongoing ethnic violence that erupted between the Meiteis and Kukis, and it shows no sign of hope for reconciliation between the two communities.
Many precious lives and properties from both communities have been lost, leaving many innocent people homeless. What is most shocking is that amid this unfortunate incident, some vested individuals are attempting to divert and trivialize the unprecedented unrest as mere issues of illegal migration, drugs, and poppy cultivation. The issue is much deeper and complex to comprehend. The alleged crisis of illegal migration from Myanmar has become more pronounced in recent times due to the situation in the neighboring country, which is currently ruled by the military junta. If illegal migration is indeed taking place from across the border at the alleged rate, blame should equally be assigned to the central and state governments for failing to prevent it. It is not right to place the blame solely on one community for such a crisis.
As for the menace of drug trafficking and poppy cultivation, it has been present for ages. Not to mention that even army officials, police, and sons of top politicians have been arrested in the past for drug trafficking, all of which is well-documented. Some engage in these activities to make quick money, while others especially, in poppy cultivation, do so for survival due to the lack of alternative means of livelihood and support. The state is not doing enough to address the problem, instead, it is causing more suffering for people, particularly those living in the affected areas. Therefore, concluding that the main reason for the recent ethnic violence in the state is due to drugs and poppy cultivation would be a gross injustice to the victims of both communities.
The divide between the hills and the valley has been growing for some time. Disparities in development, resources, health, and education between the hills and the valley have been widening, not to mention the disproportionate allocation of the budget for the hill areas. For example, in 2021, former MLA and members of the Hill Areas Committee, Shri Alfred Kanngam Arthur, correctly pointed out in the state Assembly that according to the Tribal Affairs and Hills department, the budget allocation for developmental activities in the years 2017-18 was Rs 108 crore; in 2018-19, it was 150 crore; in 2019-20, it was Rs 120 crore, and for 2020-21, it was just 41 crore. In contrast, for the valley, in 2017-18, Rs 5000 crore was allotted, and in 2018-19, Rs 4900 crore. In 2019-20, it was 5000 crores (Ukhrul Times, August 31, 2021). Judging by these figures, one can imagine the magnitude of the gap in the state budget allocation for developmental work betw-een the hills and the valley.
The major point of contention that triggered the present conflict was the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meiteis, led by the Scheduled Tribes Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM). This demand lacks constitutional basis. It’s important to consider what would happen if the majority community feels insecure; this should raise concerns about the fate of the minority tribes in the hills. It’s true that the Meitei community faces significant pressure on land in the valley due to its growing population. Moreover, since the capital is situated in the valley, people from various communities naturally migrate there for practical purposes. This adds to the ongoing land pressure in the valley. Similarly, the tribals in the hills also face similar problems, despite occupying 90 percent of the land in the state. However, a significant portion of these areas is mountainous and unsuitable for human habitation.
What is even more shocking is that Manipur has now descended into anarchy, becoming a state of lawlessness. Civil society organizations, insurgency groups, and women’s groups have taken law and order into their own hands.
If you happen to travel by road to Manipur, don’t be surprised if unauthorized civilians stop and question you at different points of your journey. It is a shame on the part of the state to remain a passive observer to all that is happening in this state of lawlessness. It is also unfortunate that a few genuine voices, like Babloo Loitongbam, Director of Human Rights Alert, and Thounaojam Brinda, a former Assistant Superintendent of Police, are being targeted and threatened for speaking out in the larger interest of the state just because they deviate from what certain groups of people want or believe is right. If some people disagree with their views, they need not listen to them or, at best, counter them in a civilized manner. No one has the right to forcefully muzzle their voices or prevent them from expressing their opinions, which is their fundamental right.
Five months have pa-ssed, and there appears to be no solution in sight. The central government seems least concerned, as our so-called leaders are pre-occupied with the upcoming elections in larger states.
So, what can we, as citizens of the state, do? Should we allow this chaos to continue until everyone is destroyed? It is high time for our Meitei and Kuki brothers to come to their senses, sit down together, and amicably resolve their differences. There are two main ways to resolve any conflict. The first is to try to completely destroy the other party, which is a dangerous path, as seen with Hitler’s actions towards the Jews in Germany. Moreover, this is an unrealistic idea. No one, not even Hitler, could achieve such complete domination; history is a testament to that. The other approach is to resolve the conflict through non-violent means, through peace talks, which is far superior and successful. This path is popularly known as the Gandhian principle. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “Forgiveness is manlier than revenge.” This statement makes a lot of sense in times like these. We also need to acknowledge that in any conflict resolution, it cannot be a ‘win-win’ for one party and a ‘lose-lose’ for the other. The best way forward is for both parties in conflict to ‘win some’ and ‘lose some.’
The role of the so-called civil society organizations across communities needs to be questioned and monitored. They should immediately stop promoting violence and hatred between communities. It is also unethical for the state government to ban the internet for so long. Let all the truths and lies come out so that people can judge for themselves. Banning the internet will not serve any purpose in the long run and violates the fundamental rights of the people.
The best option to address the current crisis would be to implement President’s Rule in the state immediately for at least ten years, so that some developmental work can take place without much hindrance. There is no point in having a so-called democratically elected government run by spineless ministers and MLAs who are unable to make decisions but run to Delhi at the drop of a hat.
Kh. Kabi