On the Map, off the Mind

Yenning *

The North East region with Myanmar, Bangladesh lying nearby :: Pix - TSE

The issues and problems in North East India continue to haunt the Nation and the State of India. It is the region where history has left some crucial unfinished agenda, and where the past continues to question and haunt the present. Also, it is the region where the legitimacy and existence of India’s Nationhood and the mighty Indian State have been facing unending challenges.

In the popular imagination of most Indians, the term “North East”immediately sparks off an image of turmoil, violence and unrest. To them, it is a land of defiance, insurgency, militancy and many more. This stereotype psychological imagery runs through most Indians including the political ruling class and policy makers in New Delhi. And for most Indians, their perception of the region is limited to that of Assam, the ancient Kamarupa.

As such it is not surprising to see that the Delhi-based English-language “National press” does not give much attention to the happenings in the region. Though there are sporadic reports in the National media about the region, it mainly “concentrates on the disquieting stories of unrest, insurgence and violence” rather than serious debates on the unique historical character, political processes and issues affecting the region.

Evenmore, the region’s issues do not make it to the National policy agenda. To most Indians, the region is “on the map, but off the mind”–as the title of the forum organised by the Tehelka had captured in 2006.

This explains the stoic silence of several mainland civil society organisations, radical groups and political classes when Manipur has been burning and under siege for more than two months. The violence that started on the 3rd of May, 2023 with Churachandpur district of Manipur as the epicenter has brought untold suffering to several people.

The loot, arson and burning of houses started by the Chin-Kuki militants and their war mongering supporters has so far claimed nearly 200 lives (including those missing persons), more than 5500 houses razed to the ground and several places of worship burned to ashes. In this beautiful land of the jewels, there is a humanitarian crisis.

The crisis is an outcome of deception orchestrated by the Chin-Kuki militants that goes back in time. However, for this edition, let’s stick to the 3rd of May, 2023 as the fateful day from which one can uncover the art of deception orchestrated by the Chin-Kuki militants. On this day, several pro-Kuki-militant organisations staged a Tribal Solidarity March against the inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of India.

Subsequent events following the solidarity march vividly reveal Kuki’s art of deception. While the rally ended peacefully in the Nagas areas, in the Chin-Kuki dominated Churachandpur district, Kuki militants and their supporters used the march as a weapon to burn down Government offices, but above all, Meitei houses and attack Meitei civilians.

For reader’s information, kindly note, the Manipur Government has not given its recommendations on whether Meetei/Meitei should be included or not in the list since 2013 despite orders from the Government of India. Moreover, it was yet to comply to the directives of the Manipur High Court dated the 19th April 2023 on the same issue.

The last date for submitting two reports concerning the Meetei/Meitei community (Meetei/Meitei’s socio-economic profile and ethnography) to the Central Government was 29th May 2023. Based on these reports, recommends for the inclusion of the community in the ST list had to be decided. In other words, Manipur Government had not given it verdict yet.

Meitei’s ST demand was used as a camouflage to conceal the real hidden agenda of the March. On the fateful day from 10.30 am, rally-participants guarded by armed Kuki militants started burning down forest offices, attacking Meitei civilians and burning of their houses.

The involvement of Kuki militants indicate that ST demand is just a pretext and deception to misguide others. Subsequent violence perpetrated by Kuki militants speaks volumes about the sinister design to balkanize Manipur on ethnic lines.

However, several National media houses fell trap to this false narrative. Without verification, they reported that the Meetei/Meitei’s demand for ST status triggered the present violence.This illogical blame does not carry an iota of truth given that the demand is absolutely within the Constitutional framework of India. Moreover, as indicated above, the issue has been pending with Manipur Government for the last ten years. Add to it, every community has a legitimate political right to demand something Constitutional.

Subsequent demand for a “separate administration” by the Kuki-Chin MLAs and CSOs in the aftermath of the fateful day was not related to the Meetei/Meitei’s ST demand. The new demand was fuelled by the long nurtured ethno-exclusive political agenda of the Kuki militants, which is their dream of a homeland.

To reiterate, ST demand by the Meetei/Meitei indigenous community and judgement passed by the High Court of Manipur directing the State Government to send the recommendation was used only as a pretext, the real cause is something else.

Demographic politics is the primary push factor which is closely related with the Kuki militant outfits’ dream of a homeland. Ethno-exclusivist politics driven by their imagined homeland and the Indian Government policies that encourage such a politics is the root cause of the present crisis in Manipur.

Greediness over land and the expansionist character of the Chin-Kuki population ultimately led to destruction of Reserve and Protected Forests to not only raise new villages but also undertake illegal poppy cultivation. When the Manipur Government started its policy of the “War on Drugs”, Kuki’s illegal encroachment of forest land and sacred sites came to light.

Therefore, for any durable peace to prevail in Manipur, these issues need to be addressed properly and corrective measures need to be implemented. The influx of Burmese illegal immigrants in large numbers is a reality today. There is no denying this fact. The influx, however, periodically took place.

The porous Indo-Myanmar border and the similar ethno linguistic groups inhabiting Sagain and Chin regions in Myanmar and Churachandpur and Tengnoupal districts have facilitated cross-border population movement. Frequent political instability in Myanmar and repressive policy against minorities on the one hand; and India’s democracy, political stability and Scheduled Tribe provision in the Constitution on the other hand are the push and pull factors for immigration, respectively.

The State Government’s policy of driving out from the reserve and protected forest areas and the war on drugs involved the destruction of poppy plantations. The State Government policy of war on drugs gave a dead blow to the drug cartel and its economy. Drug cartels who harness bounty from the drug economy naturally felt insecure.

Government report suggests that Manipur once a destination, transit route and consumer of cross-border narcotic substances in the early 1990s had transformed into a source of raw material and manufacturing hub. These are some of the crucial areas, where we need persistent and indepth study to save Manipur and India from the scourge of narco-terrorism. This form of terrorism has become one of the greatest non-traditional internal security threats in contemporary times.

Another aspect of the present crisis is the population imbalance generated artificially and the subsequent use of demography as a political instrument to dominate land and resources and political space. Rampant growth of Chin-Kuki villages in recent times; and the settlement of the influx population in the strategic locations adjoining hill and valley districts and along the National Highways had been taking place since the 1950s.

Demography is effectively used by Kuki-Chin elites and SoO militants as a political instrument to expand and physically dominate land and politics in Manipur. Based on this demographic settlement pattern, they now claim to control more than fifty percent of the geographical areas of Manipur.

If the cross-border influx of population is not timely tackled and prevented, the day is not far away when the indigenous population shall become a minority and refugees in their own land. The present crisis is just a hint of what will happen to indigenous communities if the issue of NRC is not taken seriously.

Let the world know and let every Indian know, the movement for Meitei/Meetei is not just for the survival of Meetei/Meitei but for all the indigenous communities of Manipur.

Meeteis/Meiteis are fighting for the history and civilization that our ancestors and forefather through their blood and sweat had built and developed in the form of Manipur. Meeteis/Meiteis are fighting for an idea of Manipur that is inclusive, secular, and democratic based on plural ethos.

For India as a whole, it is essential to shift the narrative about the North East and engage in meaningful and informed discussions on the unique historical and political complexities of the region. National media and policymakers should move beyond the stereotype psychological imagery and prioritize a deeper understanding of the issues affecting the North East to ensure a more comprehensive and inclusive national policy agenda.

Only through understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges of the region can the haunting issues of Northeast India be effectively resolved and integrated into the fabric of the Nation.