Not numbers, unbiased CFs must to contain violence
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 07, 2023 -

AS the state has been witnessing intermittent shootouts between Kuki militants and security forces and attacks on isolated villages in the fringe areas by armed groups of both the communities in conflict to the latest incidents of Kuki mob using heavy machineries to rage down Meetei houses at Torbung Bangla, it is unlikely that ethnic violence will end any sooner.

Interestingly, the incursion into the Meetei settlement area Torbung Bangla happened hours after central forces used all means possible to prevent Meetei people from accessing the same village where the Kukis had planned mass burial of those killed in the course of the ethnic violence.

As the Kuki men and women estimated to be around 5000 faced no significant resistance from the central forces deployed all along the route it is but natural to suspect diligence, sincerity and commitment of the central security forces in containing the violence.

When Meetei protesters on August 3 numbering much more than that of the Kuki arsonists on Saturday could be prevented from venturing into the so-called buffer zone, failure of the central forces to stop the Kuki marauders from raging down the abandoned Meetei houses deepens the suspicion that the central forces are here with an agenda and not to deescalate tension and contain the violence.

While failure to prevent attacks after dusk could be attributed to various reasons no explanation could justify the central forces unable to stop Kuki men and women along with heavy machineries brought all the way from Churachandpur town accessing Torbung Bangla and carrying out random destruction of houses, that too in broad daylight.

Thus, it could be safely stated that it is not the numbers of central forces which would help stabilise the situation in the state but sincerity and impartiality on the part of those deployed at the ground level that could make a difference.

Though despatch of more para-military force personnel to the state implies that the central government is equally worried over the protracted unrest situation and has been working to at-least prevent incursion by the warring communities into territories of one another so as to give the peace process, if any, a chance to find an amicable solution, it is disturbing that Kuki mobs were allowed to cross multiple bunkers and outposts of central forces deployed en-route to Torbung Bangla, which Kuki organisations seem determined to take control of as part of the agenda to dominate/occupy the Meetei village.

Similar to the selective mass destruction of Meetei houses in Churachandpur town in the first few days after the violence broke out, the intention to rage down the abandoned houses at Torbung Bangla makes it crystal clear that the Kuki community is now eyeing expansion of the Kuki area at any cost.

Since day one of the violence, Kuki organisations had been equating all attacks by Meetei people to execution of the ethnic cleansing pogrom regardless of the fact it is the Meetei villages that armed Kuki militants have been targeting in area adjoining Kuki-populated districts.

As similar tactics of creating fear psychosis among the Meetei populace in the peripheral villages are evident it is obvious that the ultimate goal is to expand area under occupation and expansion.

It also seems that another prime objective of the Kuki militants for resorting to such aggression is to create upheaval through triggering public outrage and protests in the valley districts, the state's capital in particular, which in turn would derail livelihood chores and eventually lead to public dissent against the government.

Considering the fact that Imphal generally faces shutdown of markets and cessation of commercial activities as and when Meetei villages come under attack, the Kuki militants are certain to be relishing hardships and disorder in the state's commercial hub.