M.P. Nathanael | As Manipur On Boil Again, Centre Must Act Urgently

With communal violence having rocked Manipur for over the past three years, the return of peace still appears elusive. Oscillating between the periodic return of peace amidst violent attacks, the state’s residents live in constant fear of an outbreak of violence disrupting normal life. Protests, bandhs, curfew and roadblocks, and suspension of Internet and mobile data services have become the order of the day.

Following the death of two children in a bomb attack in Tronglaobi in Bishnupur, bordering Churachandpur, on April 7, the state was on the boil with masses demanding the arrest of the perpetrators of the attack. The agitation in the valley continued till the bodies of the children were buried on May 9. The case has since been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

As the news of the death of the children spread, the protesters headed towards towards a CRPF detachment in Gelmol, about 1 km from Tronglaobi, and went berserk, vandalising the post. Rations and stores were looted and vehicles set on fire. As the mob’s fury turned towards the armoury, the CRPF men fired to save the weapons, killing three persons.

The looting of armouries of the Manipur police in May 2023 by huge mobs served as a lesson to the CRPF men, who could in no wise allow their armoury be looted. It may be recalled that over 6,000 weapons were looted from the police armouries in the first week of May 2023. About 4,500 of these weapons have been recovered. A good chunk of the looted weapons still remains in the hands of miscreants, though recoveries are made in trickles.

Several sophisticated weapons were recently recovered from Kakching, based on information provided by a Kangleipak Communist Party militant arrested in Delhi. Earlier, 68 sophisticated weapons, including AK series rifles, RPG launchers and mortars were recovered from surrendered United National Liberation Front (Pambei) cadres from Imphal on May 20, when they were planning to sell these weapons in illegal market.

Given the simmering undercurrents in the state, the Centre’s decision to pull out over 85 Central paramilitary companies from the valley for deployment in West Bengal for the elections was extremely ill-advised. In the aftermath of violence that erupted in May 2023, over 36,000 CAPF personnel were rushed to the state. These were in addition to the security forces, including the Army, already deployed there. They man the buffer zones to forestall any violent confrontation between the Kuki-Zo inhabitants of the hills and the Meiteis living in the plains.

A minor fracas between a few Kuki tribals and a Tangkhul Naga in Litan village in Ukhrul on February 7 snowballed into a major confrontation between the two tribes. Houses were set on fire and villagers injured.

Since then, the return of normalcy has been a far cry.

The killing of three Church leaders and serious injuries to four others on May 13 while returning to Kangpokpi from Churachandpur added fuel to the fire. The abduction of over 48 Kuki-Zo and Naga tribals by both tribes followed. Fourteen from each of these tribes were released a day later. The release of another 14 Kukis on June 1 was aborted due to differences between the Naga groups. Persistent efforts by Church leaders and the United Naga Council yielded results, when 14 were released on June 9. The Kukis denied any knowledge of six Nagas who were missing since May 13. The recovery of the bodies of the six Nagas by the CRPF and Manipur police on June 10, from Kharam Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi has come as a serious setback to the administration.

Retaliatory attacks resulting in the death of two Kuki church leaders and injuries to several others in Kuluth village in Kamjong in the wee hours on June 11 presages a worrisome situation. While the Kukis hold a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and Shanni National Army responsible for the attack, the Nagas allege that the militants of Kuki National Army (Burma), who have a running feud with the Kukis in Manipur, had carried out the attack. The Naga-Kuki clash is a grim reminder of the violence that had gripped the state in the 1990s when over 1,500 people of both tribes were killed in clashes.

With three elite COBRA battalions of the CRPF, comprising hardened commandos, set to be deployed in Manipur, the situation is expected to improve. As is the norm, these units are undergoing pre-induction training before being deployed. Knowledge of the terrain, the culture and customs of the denizens of Manipur and the problems afflicting the state would be imparted to these commandos.

While Meiteis demand immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack in Trongloibi, the Nagas demand revocation of the “suspension of operations” agreement with the Kuki-Zo and the arrest of those who killed the six Nagas in captivity. The Kuki-Zo seek a separate administration for them and the arrest of those responsible for the death of former BJP MLA Vanglung Valte, who died on April 1 this year while under treatment. He was attacked in Imphal on May 3, 2023. His body is kept in Churachandpur mortuary. These are among several demands of these communities.

A commission of inquiry constituted in June 2023 in the aftermath of the May 23 ethnic clashes is yet to submit its report, though it was given six months’ time initially. With five extensions granted so far and the last deadline due to expire on November 20, the likelihood of the commission submitting its report by the year-end appears remote. Since the commission office is functioning in the National Stadium complex in New Delhi, the witnesses are compelled to travel to Delhi from Imphal. Witnesses from Churachandpur must travel over 300 km by road to neighbouring Aizawl in Mizoram for a flight to Delhi. Travel to Imphal airport, a mere 60 km, is fraught with danger due to the ethnic conflict. The inquiry needs to be expedited and justice dispensed speedily.

Investigations that were entrusted to the CBI and NIA need to be completed expeditiously to restore a sense of security among the people, apart from serving as a deterrent to militants from taking the law into their own hands.

To settle the issues that confront the tribals and the Meiteis, the Centre’s intervention is urgently needed now. A negotiated settlement is possible only when representatives of Meiteis and the tribals are brought on one platform. Internecine clashes need to be curbed. Copper-bottomed intelligence-based operations against the militants can yield the desired results.

The writer is a retired CRPF IGP