Roadblocks to peace gesture
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 08, 2024 -

WITHOUT an iota of doubt, chief minister N Biren has firm resolve to ensure protection of the indigenous communities, especially in the wake of the Kuki-Meetei communal clash, but his assertion to uphold interest of the native people has to be complemented with follow-up measures resolute enough to identify the non-indigenes and ensure gracious deportation to their place of origin.

In the absence of constitutional safeguard or a mechanism to detect those infiltrators who have already secured permanent settlement on the basis of fake support documents, then it is obvious that repetitive assurances to protect the natives would be construed as political rhetoric.

Nevertheless, the chief minister's assertion that the government of Manipur will not compromise its policies in the name of bringing peace by accommodating outsiders, underscored that the government is not averse to the general sentiment for according importance to survival of the indigenous communities.

Moreover, after over 19 months since outbreak of the Kuki-Meetei conflict which had seen more than 200 casualties and thousands of displaced families yet to return to their ancestral homes, not many would believe that the CM Biren's assurance of an end to the ongoing crisis will materialise in the near future.

Speaking at the launch of the 'Chief Minister Coaching Scheme for Entrance Examination to Professional Courses', on Wednesday, Biren contended that peace would definitely be restored in the state, which if not materialised sooner than later, would be akin to rubbing salt to wounds of the internally displaced persons languishing in relief camps or settled temporarily in residential facilities constructed at different locations with assistance of the central government.

The chief minister's observation that the conflict would be over seems to be on the premise of the Thadou community extending support to the government's move for implementing the National Register of Citizens in the state and endorsing the 'war on drugs' campaign.

However, it would be wishful thinking that the warring communities would condone each other, as the recent resolution of the Thadou community adopted at the Guwahati convention is being fiercely objected to by none other than the Thadou organisations themselves, thereby implying that parleys, if any, to facilitate rapprochement shall entail addressing the inter-Thadou divergences and involving the Kuki-Zo representatives.

Taking into account of the fact that the Guwahati convention was marked by the Thadou community asserting "it is a distinct ethnic group of people, with own distinct language, culture, traditions and great history and Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki"; which a Thadou civil body as well as Kuki armed organisation dismissed as unacceptable and belittled as emotional outburst, it could be safely stated that prior to initiating negotiated settlement of the conflict between the warring communities, the Thadou organisations shall need to amicably iron out the differences.

Pending solution to the Thadou discord, the government shouldn't relent from exerting pressure on the centre to end the crisis as it is now crystal clear that the problem cannot be handled by the government of Manipur, especially as the Kuki-Zo organisations have been alleging that those helming the affairs in the state are surreptitiously aiding the Meetei in the conflict.