Manipur crisis on centre's menu, at last
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 27, 2023 -

Nearly a month after outbreak of the com-munal violence on May 3, over 70 persons killed, scores still missing, irreparable dam-ages caused to private houses and government buildings, displacement of people in thousands and amid outcries by the opposition parties as well as civil societies over seemingly apathetic attitude of the central government, Union home minister Amit Shah is all set to visit the state on May 29 and stay for three days to hold talks with all the stakeholders to resolve the ethnic crisis.

What policy the Union government would adopt for bringing an amicable settlement or how it would impress upon the com-munities in conflict only time will tell but it could be safely stated that tension will continue to grip the state and violence would not subside unless the armed militants involved in attacking civilians could be reined in and torching of houses put to an end.

Moreover, it is obvious that not many would agree with Amit Shah's statement at a Guwahati event on Thursday that the violence in Manipur was triggered by an order of the Manipur High Court.

For the record, acting on a writ petition filed by the Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union, the Court's acting Chief justice MV Muralidaran had on April 19 directed the state government to submit the recommendation for inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry.

Few days after the high court order, ATSUM organised a 'Tribal Solidarity March' on May 3, the same day communal riots broke out and spread across the state as video clips went viral about Meetei people attacked and their houses set ablaze in Kangvai and Torbung areas by a section of the solidarity march participants in Churachan-dpur town.

The video clippings also included some armed persons, suspected to be cadres of Kuki outfits which signed the Suspension of Operation agree-ment with the governments of Manipur and India, marching along with the protesters.

Accepted that the court's directive to the government of Manipur to do the needful in connection with the demand for granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meetei/ Meitei community upset tribal organisations and leaders but involvement of armed militants in the solidarity march and the consequent communal clashes deepens the suspicion that the ST demand is not the only reason for the violence.

For instance, organisations and leaders of the Kuki tribe had been interpreting the government's drive against encroachment in reserved and protected forest areas, crackdown on illegal immigrants and destruction of poppy plantations as selective targeting of a particular community unmindful of the fact that the aforementioned problems are posing serious threat to the environment and demographic balance.

Taking into account of the fact that there has been unanimity on unrestrained influx from the neigh-bouring countries and reports about armed outfits pressurising village chiefs to allow poppy cultivation in areas under their respective jurisdiction, singling out the High Court's order as the reason for the violence lacks justification.

Nevertheless, there is no other option left other than the intervention of the Centre in resolving the crisis as the government of Manipur is in no position to address the issue, especially in the backdrop of Kuki MLAs as well as civil organisations asserting that chief minister N Biren can't be trusted to deliver justice to the Kuki community.

Moreover, there is every reason to believe that the Union home minister will translate his assertion into action that no perpetrators would be spared and justice would be provided to all the victims and affected persons.