The intent and intel report
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: September 26, 2024 -

WITH so much going on in Manipur at the moment, it is quite a task to pick and choose a topic for discussion.

Since the tiny northeastern Indian state has been roiled by an unprecedented violent conflict that broke out between the Kuki-Chin and Meetei communities on May 3 last year, not a single day has passed without some new issue, adding to the already chaotic situation in the strife-torn state.

Following the recent confirmation of a 'leaked' intelligence report regarding infiltration of more than 900-armed Kuki-Chin militants "trained in jungle warfare and use of weaponised drones" into Manipur from neighbouring Myanmar with the intent of launching multiple coordinated attacks on Meetei villages in the periphery possibly around September 28, there has been panic among the people.

Interestingly, reactions to the confirmation of this 'leaked' intelligence report by none other than the Union Home Ministry-appointed security advisor to Manipur Kuldiep Singh himself has once again revealed not only the increasing divide between the two warring communities but also lack of proper co-ordination and communication among the security agencies deployed in Manipur as far as sharing of intelligence inputs are concerned.

As Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, the Congress MP in the Lok Sabha from Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency has rightly pointed out, the 3 Corps or "Spear Corps" of the Indian Army making a post on the social media platform X and asking the Government of Manipur and the State police to share details of the intelligence inputs already discussed in a meeting of the "Strategic Operation Group (SoG) held on September 18 at the Conference Hall of the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur indicated "a breakdown of communication and coordination within the military establishment, let alone amongst the security agencies', a professional failure which has led to the loss of life and protracted mayhem".

And, deletion of same post later on only goes to confirm this.

Meanwhile, while rejecting the claims made by Kuldiep Singh, who is also the chairman of Unified Command, about the infiltration of more than 900-armed Kuki-Chin militants who are "trained in jungle warfare and use of weaponised drones" from Myanmar into Manipur and are currently scattered in the periphery areas in groups of 30 members each waiting to launch multiple coordinated attacks on Meetei villages possibly around September 28, Kuki-Chin organisations have cleverly utilised this opportunity to play their victim card once again.

After accusing Kuldiep Singh of spreading false information and demanding his resignation, Kuki-Chin organisations have announced a total shutdown in areas dominated by Kuko-Chin people on September 28 and asked their community to remain vigilant between September 26 and 29 in anticipation of an attack on Kuki-Chin people.

This reaction from the side of Kuki-Chin organisations is exactly what some of the Meetei civil society groups had predicated.

Soon after the security adviser publicly confirmed the intelligence report about the infiltration of well-trained armed Kuki-Chin militants into Manipur from neighbouring Myanmar, Meitei Heritage Society (MHS) had issued a statement in the media flagging concern that "when the security forces retaliate, it will give the Kuki militants and their frontal groups an opportunity to claim Kukis have been attacked by Meiteis".

We have pointed out through this column earlier about Kuki-Chin groups giving away what they are trying to hide by reacting strongly against what they themselves claimed to be a "baseless propaganda" spread through a fake letter generated from the office of Chief Minister and forcing security advisor Kuldiep Singh to "confirm" the intelligence report under duress.

But with the latest stunt of announcing total shutdown and asking all Kuki-Chin people to stay put in their respective houses and refrain from organising or attending public events until September 28 to prevent any possible escalation of violence, we feel nothing more has been left to doubt about their intent as well as the intelligence report.