Exposing the lie for the ethnic clash : Setting the narratives right
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 03, 2023 -

After a month, what are the points that have emerged and what is the story that has been told to the world or should be told, even at the risk of repeating oneself ?

For starters, debunk the myth that has been woven so magically to make it look as if the present clash originated from the ‘ST for Meiteis demand’ and here one will need to go back to the time the Government launched the War on Drugs campaign across the length and breadth of Manipur.

It is to give a semblance of rationality and to take the other tribal groups along that the ‘ST for Meiteis demand’ was woven so intricately and expertly into the call for the Tribal Solidarity March and this is the reason why it is important to remind all the expert talk show hosts on the television not to steer the discussion to the ST demand for the Meiteis, while referring to the present and ongoing ethnic clash.

The Poppy Plant and it is around this axis that the eviction drives in the Protected and Reserved Forest, the War on Drugs campaign launched by the State Government amid such wide publicity, the destruction drive of Poppy plantations, etc revolve and it is the sum of these factors that should be understood as the trigger that set off the Churachandpur rallyists to turn their angst and ire against the people of Torbung which is situated on the border of Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts.

An anger and frustration which was orchestrated by those who lost out a great deal from the drives launched under the War on Drugs campaign and it should be more than clear that the anger had nothing to do with the demand that the Meiteis be included in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution.

A point which was so aptly pointed out in a lucidly told story in NDTV under the caption, ‘The role of a plant in Manipur ethnic violence’.

The false narrative has to be set right and it is important to steer away from the ST for Meiteis demand in any debate or discussion for this cannot be anything but just a ploy to take attention away from the drug business.

And when one talks about the drug business, India and every Indian should look at it from a bigger perspective.

The State Government should also put their mind on how to give the War on Drugs a global context, a context which should lay down that it is much more than just checking the growing number of drug users amongst the youngsters of Manipur and the North East region.

Narco-terrorism- A term which has gained currency in recent times and not without a reason.

No reason not to believe that the Golden Triangle can change location and move to Manipur. The steps of progression should be understood.

From just a grower of Poppy plant, which is the raw material, Manipur can well see manufacturing units coming up here in the days to come.

Already some drug manufacturing units have been busted by the State police, and if the Poppy plantation is not checked, then the next step would obviously be to set up manufacturing units here too.

This is where the understanding of narco-terrorism can become clearer, that is keep on feeding armed cadres with the drugs and get them hooked to the organisation running the show.

And everyone should understand who or what these organisations are. A question here should be apt.

Why did the eviction of K Sonjang village inside a Protected Forest elicit such a strong protest, which may be said to have triggered off a chain reaction which culminated in the ethnic clash of May 3 ?

Who were behind establishing the new settlement ?

And how far does the range of the Protected Forest stretch and what is the real motive of setting up the new settlement ?

Answer to these posers is the real spark that set off the ethnic clash which has been narrated with so much lies.