Task cut out for Centre to prevent full-scale battle
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 30, 2023 -
IN case the Union government does not intervene, orders central forces to rein in cadres of Suspension of Operation (SoO)-signatory Kuki armed outfits and pre-vents infiltration of both armed and unarmed persons from across the neighbouring Myan-mar then the high tension gripping the two communities in conflict will not only lead to the on-going clashes turning into full-scale battle but also affect the other indigenous communities who have so far been maintain-ing neutrality in-spite of incursion into their territories by one of the warring communities.
Cases of armed attacks on Meetei civilian population and torching of their houses in hundreds intensifying despite deployment of security forces to control the situation imply that the aggressors are neither in the mood to lend ears to the appeals being made by worried individuals and organisations to cease hostility nor worried with the fact that prolonging the conflict will take a heavy toll on both sides.
In the first few days since outbreak of the communal clash on May 3 evening, the attacks and counter-attacks mostly involved mobs targeting people and properties of the rival community, with casualties and injuries not substantial.
However, with tell-tale signs of direct involvement of armed Kuki militants and use of sophisticated weapons in the con-flict the number of deaths are increasing and nature of the injuries life-threatening, thereby indicating that the bloodshed will continue if the Union government does not instruct the central forces to effectively prevent move-ment and activities of the heavily armed Kuki militants or confine them in the designated camp as agreed in the pact.
Like it or not, attitude and activities of not all the para-military forces deployed in the state are impressive to the masses, especially the Meetei people and organisations who/ which have strong suspicion that audacity of the Kuki militants to attack even densely populated villages is mainly due to the central forces lacking the commitment to protect the vulnerable villagers in the foothills.
Contrary to the Meetei community accusing the central forces of patronising the act of terrorism by the Kuki armed outfits and demanding deploy-ment of state forces, the Kuki civil societies are reposing faith on the para-military forces, the Assam Rifles in particular.
In fact, public putting up roadblocks in the valley areas to prevent movement of Assam Rifles and other central forces as and when encounters break out ring out the message that the trust defi-cit between the Meetei community and the central forces has been growing.
Taking into account of such varied opinions and narra-tives, it is suggested that the government explore possibility of stationing or deploy-ing security forces as per the choice of the community concerned in order to deescalate the tension and buy time for return of peace and normalcy in the state.
The government authorities cannot ignore the fact that Meetei civilians overpowering and snatching firearms and ammunition from state's forces without much resistance by the latter could be due to realisation that battles are generally fought between adversaries possessing compatible firepower and not one of the sides defending onslaughts by the trained and well-armed perpetrators with hunting weapons.
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