The perils of ethnic identity politics
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 27, 2024 -

"WHAT'S in a name? Four centuries ago, when, William Shakespeare wrote the classic "Romeo and Juliet", he felt that a name did not matter much.

In the present times, if one is asked the same question "What's in a name?" the answer would be: "It's everything".

This was an observation made by the Ernakulam bench of Karala High Court sometime in May, 2020 while issuing an order in a plea filed by a 17-year-old student requesting her name be allowed to change, which the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had rejected on the grounds that it could have been effected only before the publication of her AISSE exam results and not after.

This court ruling may have nothing to do with the ethnic conflict which has been going on between the Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities in Manipur since May 3 last year.

But we can't help but be amused at the profundity of this court ruling, especially in the light of some interesting development taking place in the strife-torn tiny northeastern Indian state, which has unfortunately seen loss of hundreds of precious human lives and displacement of thousands of families on both sides of the clash divide.

Days after the Thadou Community International (TCI), a newly floated global platform of Thadou community, made it clear that despite being a part of the larger Zo or Mizo community in India, Thadou must be called by its name without any prefix or suffix, and most importantly not with a mistaken or imposed name like Kuki; three MLAs from among the 10, who have been demanding a separate administration to be carved out of Manipur for the Kuki-Chin people in the aftermath of the bloody ethnic conflict, have also expressed their concern over the use of the term 'Kuki-Zo' which, they argued, do not adequately represent their tribes and fails to honour their distinct identities.

In separate statements, Thanlon AC MLA Vungzagin Valte, Tipaimukh AC MLA Ngursanglur Sanate and Churachandpur AC MLA LM Khaute asserted that instead of being associated only with the term "Kuki-Zo", they want their own tribes to be called by their correct names.

While Sanate said, "I remain committed to upholding the aspirations and dreams of my people" and "have never endorsed, nor will endorse, any platform, organisation, or statement that excludes the Hmar nomenclature," Valte pointed out, "The recent usage of the term 'Kuki-Zo' is perceived by many within my community as non-inclusive and assimilative" and so he "cannot accept or endorse any term that does not respect the individuality and dignity of all groups that form the fabric of my constituency".

Valte also emphasised that he is a "Paite scheduled tribe belonging to the Zomi community" and urged stakeholders to promote a term that unites and honours their shared history and future aspirations.

Similarly, Khaute stated, "It has always been my endeavour to ensure the usage of suitable and appropriate terminology, and I cannot accept any term that excludes Zomi or misrepresents our identity in press statements" and suggested Kuki-Zomi-Hmar would be the most "suitable and inclusive term".

It is yet to be seen how acceptable this suggestion is, but it is interesting to note that this the first time since the ethnic conflict broke out in Manipur that statements have been issued individually from among the 10 disgruntled MLAs.

Whether it was for demanding a separate administration or requesting the Commission of Inquiry instituted by the Home Ministry to probe into a purported audio tape of chief minister N Biren Singh, which, they claimed, is proof of the chief minister's complicity in igniting the ethnic conflict, the 10 MLAs had always come up with joint statements until recently.

This says a lot more than one could ever understand about the perils of ethnic identity politics in Manipur and elsewhere.