Unprovoked attacks on Meitei settlements in Manipur

Laishram Devakumar Singh *

Manipur has never been a peaceful and stable State since her ‘forceful merger’ with the Union of India in 1949. Manipur continue to be neglected by the GOI and not even granted Statehood till 1972. A stark contrary to this, Nagaland which was not even a well-defined State under the colonial period was given Statehood in 1963 with the enactment of State of Nagaland Act in 1962 by merging many diverse ethnic tribal populations.

Thus, we can witness from the very beginning of her becoming part of India the step-motherly treatment of Manipuris and divisive policy by the GOI. After having been merged with the India the territorial boundary of Manipur is shrinking to its low due to lack of astute political leaders and lack of wisdom and political will on the parts of the political leaders.

Manipur lost Tamu Valley as it was not claimed by GOI when Burma stopped payment of annual tribute amounting to 6000 siccas. As per the agreement arrived between British colonial India and Burma, Kabaw Valley (Tamu Valley) is to be reverted to Manipur when Burma stopped payment of annual tribute. Thus, Manipur lost a fertile valley which was once a part of proud Manipuri Kingdom of Southeast Asia.

The State of Manipur has been turned into battle ground between Indian security forces and revolutionaries’ groups of Manipur. During this period (1980s to 1990s) of peril around 3000 young bloods lost their lives for the cause of the Manipuri Nation.

From time to time, we have been witnessing violence and chaotic situation in Manipur due to lack of political will and statesmanship of the elected representatives who could unite and bring forth the idea of unity through uniform laws. History is obvious example where there is no uniform set of law, the Nation will develop friction in various forms.

The State of Manipur had witnessed the communal riots between Meiteis and Pangals in 1990s and Nagas and Kukis as well. The idea of hills and valley is a venom which run in the policy of the State. As long as the barrier of hills and valley exist, the true spirit of peaceful co-existence will remain artificial.

Coming back to the clashes of Kukis and Meiteis which started on 3rd May 2023 at Churchanpurcan be traced back to the well-planned conspiracy hatched by Chin-Kukis-Zo Narco-terrorists who have been keeping good terms with Indian intelligence and Paramilitary forces particularly Assam Rifles stationed in the State since 1990s.

The recent crackdown on the PDF (People Defence force) in Myanmar by Military Junta and their influx into Manipur and involvement in harbouring cross-border illegal trade in drugs became a menace to the Manipuri society. The demographic change caused by the influx of illegal immigrants very much disturbed the landscape of the State of Manipur.

The distortion of history of Manipur which is well over 2000 years old by some so-called Kuki intellectuals and scholars furthered the mutual suspicion and distrust. The renaming of Thangjing as Thangting, destruction of Koubru and Kongba Maru laiphamlen by Narco-terrorists further strained the relation between Meiteis and Kukis.

Of late it came to light how Chin-Kuki Zo Narco-terrorists planned their nefarious agenda to create a separate political and economic administration. To meet their end, they’ve already activated many activities such as evicting indigenous Meiteis from their birth places in Churchandpur, Kangpokpi, Moreh etc, improvement of the connectivity within the Chin-Kuki Zo settlement areas across the State and prepared literature in the form of pamphlets, distorted history and videos, and images etc.

After the tribal solidarity march across the hill districts on 3/07/2023, they started marching against the Meitei inhabited areas in Churachanpur district of Manipur.

To ignite the fire, they blamed the Meitei for burning gate which the Kukis considered their memorial gate dedicated to so called alleged Anglo-Kuki War. Chin-Kuki-Zo started shouting and attacking Meitei inhabitants of the areas with sophisticated firearms and burnt down many houses and more than hundred Churches belonging to Meitei Christians to ashes.

To the great dismay and surprise of the Meiteis, the Chin-Kuki-Zo community showed it in electronic media as if Meitei burnt down these Churches. National and International media also highlighted it without verifying the facts. Ironically, Meiteis, suddenly became refugees in their own homeland. They left everything behind and ran to save their own skin.

On the following day on 4/07/2023, Meiteis started tit for tat attack on Kukis in Imphal areas. Violence started like wildfire. Many innocent lives were lost in both the communities.

Had Government taken prompt action in time the violence could have been controlled but unfortunately, security forces started acting on communal line which reminded the partition event of India.

News started trickling in the ears of public that security forces in Manipur, covertly supported the Kuki separatists. To cite one clear evidence is rescue of two injured security personnel from the site of encounter at Senjam Chirang at Phayeng. Finding of many items which are apparently issued to the security force from the Kuki Narco-terrorists makeshift camp in the Sugnu areas are clear examples.

More than 50,000 Indian army and paramilitary forces are already stationed in Manipur but to control the violence which erupted on 3rd May,2023, around 70000 more Central Security Forces were sent to control the situation. Sad to say, no improvement happened.

All the economic activities of the State have been hampered by the blockade of National Highway by Kuki rioters. The prices of essential commodities sky-rocketed. Banning of internet service caused utmost difficulties to those who earned their livelihood through e-commerce/trading. It also affected personalised banking services, education, and e-learning etc. Blocking of internet services however bore no fruit.

Still lawlessness and gunshots and firing of bombs can be heard in the periphery areas of the State.

All these seem to the public that the Government is facilitating and prolonging the disturbances for their own hidden agenda which everyone can smell. Imposing curfews and 144 CrPC will not suppress the will of the people. Instead, it added fuel to the fire which seems to be difficult to extinguish. Therefore, Government and our leaders need to come to the terms of the restoring peace in the interest of the public.

To restore peace Government need to adopt the policy of clamping down on those groups which disturb the very peaceful co-existence of the society and indulge in dialogue to bring an amicable solution. The unintelligent policy of the Government is uprooting the future generation by disallowing them the right to access e-learning.

The role of the Union Government has been seriously questioned about the way in which it handles the current embroils. Why is the Prime Minister silent ? The people of Manipur can also quote a line of Home Minister, Amit Shah who remarked, violence can be stopped only by the people. What does it mean ? It meant, GOI is not going to do anything to stop the present embroils.

What an irony is that Prime Minister for the first time spoke before the Parliament House building on 20/07/2023 after seeing the sensational viral video of two Vaphei ladies who were stripped, harassed and paraded by unruly mobs in Nongpok Sekmai allegedly on 4/07/2023.

Now the question is the timing of uploading the viral video. The video was uploaded just a day before the Monsoon session of the Parliament. The Prime Minister of India who had so long been in slumber woke up and called for stern action. Yes, of course, stern action must be taken against those perpetrators who tried to tarnish the image of Manipuri society. But suspicion is in the air.

Any lay men could smell something fishy thing in it. It looks like a well-planned conspiracy to tarnish the image of Manipuri society. It is, indeed, a well-planned conspiracy to fulfil the agenda to disintegrate Manipur.

Still Government is silent about the gruesome acts of those Chin-KukiNarco-terrorists who shot death many young Manipuri at point blank and kicked them into the ditch and many more were murdered in cold blood by dismembering their bodies.

One clear example was the Khamenlok massacre of nine village volunteers by the brutish Chin-Kuki-Zo Narco-terrorists. Same brutality was also perpetrated by Chin-Kuki Narco-terrorists to Meitei civilians including tender young girls.

On May 3rd a Meitei woman was gang raped by a group of Chin-Kuki Zo militants. Another heinous crime committed to an elderly woman in Sugnu area surfaced where a widow of a freedom fighter was burnt alive inside her house.

Why the 140 billion people of India remained silent to such brutality and savage crimescommitted by the Chin-Kuki-Zo Narco-terrorists to Meiteis. Are Meiteis not human in the eyes of mainland Indian and Union government? Why did Prime Minister, Narendra Modi remain silent so long till 20/07/2023?

Government should stop partisan politics and must cherish equal justice for all by identifying and deporting those who came and settled in Manipur illegally. National media should also act in unpartisan manner.

The brutality and barbarity perpetrated to the Meiteis by the Chin-Kuki-Zo Narco-terrorists should also be heard and redressed for lasting solution. No power and force can subdue the will and spirit of patriotism of Manipuri.