Why Is Manipur Burning ?

Dr. Puyam Rakesh *

We didn’t see the mountains ahead and so we didn’t sense the upheavals to come, upheavals that were in fact already in our midst, waiting to burst into flames. We didn’t see the chaos growing; and when its advancing waves found us we were unprepared for its feverish narratives and wild manifestations. We were unprepared for an era twisted out of natural proportions, unprepared when our road began to speak in the bizarre languages of violence and transformations. The world broke up into unimaginable forms, and only the circling spirits of the age saw what was happening with any clarity.
Ben Okri, Songs of Enchantment

WAKONPUNG has a message for you. Manipur is burning. Reconciliation, resettlement and restoration of peace are far cries. The ground reality is that you cannot enter some parts of the state if you belong to a particular ethnic group. During field visits of the author, on 12th August 2023, personnel of the Kumaon regiment affirmed this truth at Phougakchao Ikhai. An invisible line has been drawn dividing the state’s body and soul. Who is responsible for this poor state of things? There is no clear answer as of now.

Dark clouds and smoke fill the sky over Manipur. Many actors and factors had been working together to deliver what we see today. Among them, the contradiction within the ‘idea of Manipur’ is vivid. This ‘movement of opposites’ is a social reality. The tussle between the centrifugal and centripetal forces is a given fact. This part is natural though.

But what is disturbing is the presence of a design amidst the internal contradiction. It seems the chaos was created. The madness has a method implanted in it. The land is being torn apart without the consent of the people. The central and state forces have been put to tasks that look like favouring the wishes of a particular group. The meira paibis, village protection volunteers and the civilians taking part in the mass rallies and demonstrations are at the receiving end of the security forces.

We are part of the democratic realm. Elections are being held every five years. Like in many other places, Manipur is being ruled by an elite minority with members from different ethnic and ideological backgrounds. They play an important role in shaping the destiny of the land. However, patriotism is not their heirloom. The children of Mother Manipur will not surrender to any force working towards annihilation of this ancient land.

The dividing line between the very few people who wield political power and the masses is getting clearer. The ability of the ruling class to win over the majority lies in the former’s identification with the cause of Manipur. The limited space enjoyed by this powerful minority is confined to manipulating the multitude of organizations and self-styled leaders who claim to represent the voice of the people. At the end of the day, the short-lived political tricks and dramas with give way to public judgment of the conducts of the rulers.

Though Manipur has a small market of political aspirants, yet you can find all kinds of thinkers and dreamers. Magic of promises also work here. Axe-biters, orators, dramatists and rebels of many colours have flooded the market. The tiny and economically backward hill state is hooked to New Delhi by Article 371-C and the resultant aberrations created by the centre-state relations as provided in the relevant provisions of the Indian Constitution. The by-products are the silent Members of the Parliament who want to be on the good books of their central party leaders.

Time is the greatest teacher. Hope is still alive. Let’s not forget that time is also the best healer. The indigenous people must join heads to search the path that can lead us to the shared destiny. Parochial thinking and narrow mindedness must be burnt down. In the course of its existence, Manipur is now standing at the crossroad. It is a test of our nerves.

The one and only means available for lasting peace and social advancement will be continuation of the policy of establishing new villages and towns in the hill areas where all the communities can live together. The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reform Act, 1960, must make room for all the indigenous communities to settle in the hill areas for positive socio-economic changes in the state. This is nothing new. Moreh, Kwatha, Churachandpur and Motbung are the good examples. We just need to expand it further with interests of the minorities in those areas taken care of.

This proposition is not to establish or reinforce Meetei domination. The Imphal Valley will continue to accommodate the interests of the hill-dwellers too. The art of living together is the biggest challenge we need to master soon. In fact, the capacity of the Imphal Valley to sustain quality life for the larger proportion of the state’s population is over. To avoid riots, conflicts and ethnic clashes in the state, we must pave way for economic growth and sustainable development with the whole state bearing the pressure and stress.

There will be no peace in the state unless certain amendments or adjustment is made to distribute the population stress evenly across the state and create new economic opportunities to push the state forward. Such arrangements can be taken up without causing much disturbance to the communities settled already in the hill areas.

In short, the only option we have is co-settlement (khun-tinnaba) of the hill-dwellers and plain-dwellers. The folk song Wakollo…Wakollo …sung during the Lai Haraoba is the very prophetic words left for the present generation to find the way out of the chaos.

Increasing population in the hill areas and unsustainable exploitation of resources will further complicate the issues that affect relationship between the hill and valley people. The need of the hour is to understand the organic relationship that binds the compact territory of Manipur and the possible adverse effects that can cause complex problems in the state. Environmental degradation will remain a sensitive issue in Manipur for all time. Water scarcity can cause more troubles in future.

Large-scale poppy plantation cannot happen without some powerful gangs working in the shadow of politics and guns. Most importantly, why are the powerful law enforcement agencies silent on this issue for years? News of arrested drug peddlers fills the newspaper front pages. But what is interesting is the act of turning blind eye to the activities around poppy plantation. The government cannot claim to enjoy legitimacy when such illegal activities can take place in broad daylight. It will be hard to hide behind the curtain of puzzling words and distorted long arms of law.

Is the Republic of India too weak to act against the poppy farming thugs? Who are the powerful people felling trees in Manipur and growing poppy flowers? New villages suddenly appeared in previously empty hills. Demand for homeland and separate administration start ringing louder than before. This riddle is not so difficult to solve if you intend to connect the dots.

The people of Manipur have been asking these questions. We deserve satisfactory answers. Otherwise, the power of interpretation will do its job. Conflict transformation may be the right term here. And the beautiful poppy flowers are doing the magic. The vengeful spirits of the forest have enchanted the rulers. Innocent villagers continue to suffer. Information warfare is in full swing. Don’t kill the conflict but manage it.

Perhaps, it is part of the process in Manipur’s evolving experience as a plural society. Just like the birth pang it must undergo this painful procedure towards building a better and just society. The cost is usually high. So the end result should be satisfactory to one and all. To confront this challenge is a historical necessity. And there seems to be no alternative way.

The perspective given here is that of a believer in the idea of Manipur. It has nothing to do with imposition of will and aspiration on others. The Manipuri society has a lot more to learn and grow wiser to accommodate the interests of the minorities and take their sensitivities into account. However, one cannot be so unreasonable to oppose the view that the Manipuri society is tolerant and welcoming in the first place.

Sometimes we have to pay heavy price for this trait of ours. That is how heterogeneity and diversity have been made part and parcel of the composite society we see today. It is the handiwork of many minds and unsung heroes over the period of thousand years to weave together the fabrics of ethnic plurality and cultural diversity to make one society where each and every constituent unit has a role to play.

Today, Manipur is passing through hard time. It has been turned into a ‘social lab’ where a multitude of groups are vying for power and resources. Land and territoriality based on ethnic identities remain at the heart of contention. Meanwhile, geopolitical forces are also acting vigorously. Internally, competing historical narratives constitute the root cause of the present crisis. External factor cannot be erased totally.

It will be too simplistic to present the origin of the conflict as the result of violent acts committed by the armed cadres and other vested groups belonging to a particular ethnic group. No doubt, it was the spark triggering the conflict. In fact, the present situation is the culmination of several unresolved issues and controversies surrounding the contrasting claims and aspirations of the people inhabiting the land.

After a long slumber, the Meeteis have realised the circumstances under which they have been pushed around constantly by other groups. It has brought them to a new era of Renaissance. A revival of ancient values and culture is visible. The most prominent being the warrior culture and martial spirit of the race.

In the course of history, the British authorities and Hinduism have played their respective roles in making the Meeteis into submissive, pacified beings. History is the witness to the courage and valour of the warriors of the land who were bestowed with great ideals of patriotism and selflessness in the face of mighty challenges.

In the wake of the present crisis, the works of ancients are being recited and re-discovered. The teachings of the Puya texts are resurrected. Revival of ancient ideas and values to serve the present is an ongoing process. One need not buy everything ancient, but many of the lessons/teachings in the ancient texts are agreeable to the people who are facing threats to their lives and property. The failure of the state to safeguard life and property of its citizens is raising many more questions.

Prophetic utterances noted in the scriptures are much talked about today. Thousands have become homeless and they are taking shelter in relief camps after fleeing from their villages. Those taking shelter in our homes have owned up our homes and hearths. The owners of the paddy fields are being chased away by the illegal settlers. Cries of the mothers and wives fill the air. The list goes on.

While the immediate problems associated with the present crisis are at the forefront, Manipur has seen gradual decay and decline over the past decades. It is next to impossible to fix the problems that beset Manipur at once. Power and money became two major currencies. Corruption went out of control. Nepotism is the general rule. Moral degeneration is the new trend. Every keen observer will witness the aforementioned decay and perversion. The current state of affairs in Manipur sounds like that of Italy in Machiavelli’s time. Are we living in ‘the age of Bastards and Adventures’?

The society has failed to reflect upon such social ills that could contribute to social division, animosity, and inequality. The impact of Covid-19 pandemic, loss of livelihoods, unemployment problems, inflation and economic inequality also contributed directly and indirectly to the designs of the divisive forces. Lack of employment opportunities is a key factor. People dream of changing their future with every crooked means. A state of lawlessness exists side by side with brute force of the state and other non-state actors wielding guns. We vs. Them is the standard norm.

Moreover, the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement has given birth to a new economy in the hill areas of Manipur state. It is an extension of the situation in Myanmar where poppy plantation and drug trafficking are undertaken by some ethnic armed groups. Similarly, in Manipur, illegal extortion, killings, atrocities, smuggling and, most importantly, poppy plantation, are the new realities. Poor governance and administrative failure in the hill areas of Manipur are not new phenomena though.

The Meeteis constitute the majority community in Manipur. However, the Meeteis are numerically in minority in the hill areas and they are often victims of anti-social activities involving armed groups operating in the hill areas. Anti-Meetei policy of these armed groups has been sucking the blood out of the small pockets of Meetei settlements in the hill areas. Their nefarious designs are nothing but hatred and division to destroy the society that feed them.

The stories coming out from Moreh and Churachandpur are the harsh realities of their life. Tolerance has a limit. Life and property of the Meeteis living in the hill areas have been under constant attacks from miscreants who operate under several banners to hide their true identity and intention. The SoO agreement has become a plot to hide many such illegal and anti-social activities targeting civilian population of a particular ethnic group.

Dealing with such anti-social elements within the confines of the established norms and regulations is a gigantic task. It calls for separation of ethics from politics to deal with the wicked forces. But, is it desirable to justify every misdeed in the name of collective interests? Ends and means seem to be constantly changing.

What is hurting the most at present is the fear of a decline in the number of people who work for the idea of Manipur. The young minds are being tempted to think along the ethnic lines under the stressful conditions prevailing now in the state. This is not healthy and desirable. In fact, it will not be a wild claim to assert that the people of Manipur have been conditioned to think along a particular line by some powerful agencies. Be mindful of this.

What purpose it may serve is beyond the present inquiry. One thing that is certain is the emergence of a fractured society that is politically impotent to challenge major forces sweeping across the region and beyond. An uprooted and dispossessed community with unhealed wounds could be manipulated easily.

It will be an unfortunate state of affairs. Such a society becomes a mere tool in the hands of the powerful forces waiting for an opportune time to derail every project of co-existence and social harmony. Breaking the spine of people’s resistance movement is the nearest goal for the rivals. The nonchalant attitude of political leaders in New Delhi is worth analyzing in this context.

Meanwhile, the hardliners among the Meetei and the Kuki-Chin people have stood their grounds. The demand for ‘separate administration’ by the Kuki-Chin leaders will put the lives and property of innocent people at risk. Besides, the protracted nature of the conflict will worsen the economic conditions of the state beyond repair for years.

Though reflecting the radical voice confined to a small section among the Meeteis, total annihilation of the Kuki-Chin tribes from the soil of Manipur is day-dreaming. Similarly, any effort towards balkanization of Manipur will be opposed tooth and nail. The majority Meeteis are not against the idea of an extended family to live together with the Kuki-Chin people who have been living in Manipur for some hundreds years.

As a matter of fact, prolonged crisis situation will close doors to reconciliation and restoration of peace. The high cost incurred by both the parties will keep the vicious cycle of violence running. History provides us with ample instances where two warring parties come together to find a mutually acceptable solution and work together for dignified life. Failure to find any such solution will be a blot on our intellect. Undoubtedly, ‘peace’ is not the word of choice now-a-days.

Blame game does not help either. Nevertheless, several incidents in the past have pointed in the direction of an upcoming conflict. Building narratives against the historical facts of Manipur kingdom is one such exercise that has threatened social harmony.

Further, disturbances to the pilgrims visiting the sacred Koubru and Thangjing ranges are sensitive matters fueling the division and hostility between the two camps. In fact, the Kuki-Chin leaders have been showing an attitude of obstinacy and obscurantism.

The policy of relying too much on gun power to dictate the culture of a people is bound to backfire. Without a sense of belongingness and respect for the history of the land, the language of gun will get the reply in the same language.

To bring peace and harmony, ‘language of war’ must give way to political maturity towards search for common interests. The limited economic opportunities, distorted land ownership patterns, unemployment and the deteriorating socio-economic conditions of the people provide the fertile ground for hatred, hostility and sectarianism.

Burning Manipur may serve the immediate interests of some vested interest groups. However, the fire has the tendency to spread in all direction and cause unintended damage as well. Some politicians will find it difficult to pass the test of innocence. Warfare is a serious matter indeed. But, having too many suns on the earth is not desirable at all.

Who is keeping the Kuki-Chin fighters in shape? We all know the answer. It is unlikely the holder will give up this card. For the state government, it must be noted that a divided house on fire is not a good bargain. Lack of political consciousness and belligerent attitude among the ruling class are major hindrances. Sincere efforts of the central leadership towards restoration of normalcy seem to be the only viable option available to them.

Unfortunately, the vishwa gurus in New Delhi seem to be watching the candle burning from both ends. But it will be worth the effort to remind the audience that Manipur is not a mere candle. A mass movement single-mindedly pushing for the cause of Manipur is the best road ahead. The adversaries have crossed the Rubicon and they must be willing to pay the price.

Lastly, what is Manipur? Let’s remind the world that Manipur is not just a piece of land. It has a history written with blood of our ancestors. Parties, flags, and organizations must not take precedence over the cause of Manipur. The signs of helplessness on the faces of the displaced people taking shelter in relief camps must be put to an end soon.