Causes of present violence (genocide) in Manipur and its remedies

Sapam Bheigya *

Brief History :

Manipur is an Ancient Kingdom recognized by the International Treaty of Chittagong (Bangladesh) between Raja of Manipur and Sir Velerest of the East India Company as early as 1762 AD. (Manipur and Naga Hills by Sir James Johnstone, Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi, page 89). The Kuki-Chin tribes are living on both sides of India and Myanmar. The Khongjais (Kukis) started to migrate in Manipur at least since 1786 AD. (The Cheitharol Kumbaba - Royal Chronicle, (Ed. 2015, p-146).

Manipur got her Independence with India on 15th August, 1947 and on 15th October, 1949, Manipur was merged with India and subsequently became, a Part C State, Union Territory and got Statehood only in 1972.

Causes of present Ethnic clash (Violence)

The boundary between India (Manipur) and Myanmar (Chin States & Sagaing Region) is highly porous. The boundary line is hilly/jungle area. There are hundreds of unmanned foot paths between India (Manipur) and Myanmar. The Economic, Educational and Political conditions of India are far better than Myanmar.

The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (MLR and LR) Act, 1960 is not extended to the whole of Manipur. As a result, there are lakhs of acres of State Khas Land in the Hills of Manipur & claimed to be owned by the Kuki chiefs. In fact, the Khas lands belong to the State Govt. under the Forest Right Act, 2006. They became suitable site for settlement of Burmese illegal migrants and Popy Plantation and hundreds of New Kuki villages were established in Manipur during the last 20/30 years.

The Government of Manipur or Indian Government can’t check the Burmese migrants (mostly Chin-Kuki Groups) due to above factors. Corrupt politicians and Government Officials were also helping these illegal migrants to get Indian citizenship for their benefits.

Manpur became a heaven for drug (Poppy, Ganja, No. 4, WY Tablets etc.) Smugglers, traffickers, drug cartels and poppy planters etc. Recently, there is little rainfall in Manipur due to jungle cutting for poppy plantation in the hills of Manipur.

The Government of India and Manipur let loose the SoO Kuki millitants and their force has became stronger day by day for the last 15 years. There were some selfish politicians, who instigated the Kuki millitants for greater Mizoram or carve out a Kuki Land (State) from Manipur. The Kukis wanted a land in the name of there homeland (Separate Administration) where business on drug and Poppy plantation can be taken freely. These were their Dreams for the last 20/30 years.

Immediate cause of Ethnic Class or Genocide : Manipur’s War on Drug, eviction of enchroachers from the Reserved and Protected Forest and detection of illegal immigrants at Churachandpur and Moreh were a direct challenge to the Druglords and Kuki militants, anti-socials and a few selfish politicians. Forest offices and an open gym in Churachandpur were burnt in March & April, 2023 by the Kuki militants.

Kuki undergrounds’ land grabing (expansion) notice or quit notice to Foothill Meitei villages and disturbances on pilgrimage at sacred/holy mountains like Koubru (Kangpokpi District) & Thangjing (Churachandpur District) etc. aroused the anger of the Meiteis.

On 3rd May, 2023, rallies at different district HQs in Manipur were organized by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), Imphal. The rallies at Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, Tamenglong ended peacefully. However, violence started at Churachandpur in the same evening after the rally and public meeting on 3rd May, 2023. About 1000 (one thousand) houses of the innocent Meiteis were burnt by the Kuki militants for no fault of theirs.

The Meitei volunteers started retalation on 4th & 5th May, 2023 and this has continued till date as defensive measure only against the Kuki-Chin narco terrorist backed by International Drug syndicate and PDF (Myanmar). Till date more than 3000 houses have been burnt and more than 100 lives have been lost on both sides.

How to bring peace in Manipur : The territorial integrity & political status of Manipur should be guaranteed by the Govt. of India immediately. There should be no VI Schedule Area Autonomous Region in Manipur. The GOI should not create another Palestine (Kuki Land) in Manipur.

SoO with Kuki Millitants should be abrogated and military operation should be started immediately by the Indian Security Forces. The Assam Rifles should not be deployed in the perifery of Manipur valley. They are charged of siding with Kuki militants. The GOI should prevent entry of terrorists from Chin Hills, Myanmar and Chittagong, Bangladesh by increasing check posts and patrolling.

The NRC should be implemented in Manipur as per Govt. Rules/Orders immediately. All the Kukis, who have settled in Manipur before 1951 census and their decendents may be treated as native people of Manipur. The rest should be treated as illegal migrants/refugees.

Scheduled Tribe Status should be granted to the Meitei/Meeteis in order to bring social equality and protection of their ancentral land i.e. Manipur Valley. Now the Meiteis have become second class citizens and refugees at their on mother land.

The functions of the Peace Committee should be (i) Restoration of Peace, (ii) Resettlement, (iii) Rehabitation etc. of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) of both communities etc.

Therefore necessary actions should be taken immediately and monitored directly by the PMO, Govt. of India, New Delhi, before things worsen. The Govt. of India should not create another Palestine State (Kuki-land) in North East India.