Manipur — this is not a time for finger-pointing

Source– The post is based on the article “Manipur — this is not a time for finger-pointing” published in “The Hindu” on 26th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS3 – Internal Security

Relevance:  Internal security in in northeast

News- Manipur’s two major communities, the Kukis and Meiteis, have been on a bloody communal clash since May 3. After nearly two months, the State remains tense, with over 120 lives lost.

What is interlink in mutual warfare as evident from the Manipur crisis?

The current standoff in Manipur shows how the hills and valleys depend on each other for their mutual welfare. One community does impact other communities even if they live separately.

The integral geography of hills and valleys, and any move to disrupt this integrity can be a source of a sense of insecurity for another.

Some of the deadliest conflicts in the world were always implicit in shared geographical destinies. Example- Russia’s response to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s overtures in Ukraine.

What are the concerns of Kuki and Meitei people?

Meitei– There is silent and non-aggressive ethnic cleansing of Meiteis from Manipur’s hills in the decades since India’s Independence. There is a need to acknowledge the accumulated pain and humiliation of confinement.

Their demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status is also a response to accumulated pain and confinement.

Kukis– The Kukis have suffered from unjust humiliations and a sense of persecution by the insensitive government policies. The government has pushed policies such as drives against poppy plantation, illegal migration and encroachment into reserved forests.

What is the way forward to resolve the conflict?

This is not the time for finger-pointing. The return of normalcy must be the priority. This initiative should begin from the leadership at the very top.

All stakeholders in this conflict can sit down together to evolve a way forward, with consensus, including structural administrative changes agreeable to all, and for the benefit of all.