Time for real action not empty rhetoric
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 21, 2025 -
THE unresolved crisis in Manipur, now entering 20 months since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, has raised serious concerns about the commitment and responsiveness of the BJP-led government - particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah - whose deafening silence is both troubling and indicative of a dangerous disregard for the human suffering unfolding in the state for a prolonged period.
That the violence, which has already claimed hundreds of lives and displaced over 60,000 people, has failed to prompt PM Modi to even refer to the loss of many precious lives, let alone visiting the trouble-torn state is unthinkable to say the least.
He responded just once to the shocking viral video of two Kuki-Zo women, paraded naked which sparked outrage across the nation - but since then, he has remained conspicuously absent from the discourse surrounding this humanitarian crisis.
Amit Shah who visited the state at the end of May 2023, precisely after 27 days of outbreak of violence, in an attempt to engage with civil society and community leaders of the two sides, yielded little in the way of tangible outcomes, with his seemingly half-hearted call for peace facing scepticism, and the peace committee he constituted even faced rejection from Kuki groups.
He promised roadmap for peace in the state through dialogues, but miserably failed to broker a ceasefire or facilitate meaningful dialogue between the two sides which only led to deepening of the distrust among the affected communities and raises questions about the central government's strategy - or lack thereof - concerning the crisis.
Now, the apparent lackadaisical attitude of the central government begs the question as to whether the Centre has a vested interest in prolonging the crisis?
In fact, troubling allegations - that the BJP leadership may prefer to maintain the status quo rather than work towards resolution—do not come as surprise.
One such accusations comes from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), whose coordinator Thokchom Somorendro has openly claimed that the central government is complicit in the current turmoil, pointing to systemic failures within the governance structure and raising doubts about its ability or willingness to manage the raging ethnic tensions effectively.
He asserted that mere dialogue will not suffice underscores a critical reality, noting that without concrete actions to address the root causes of unrest, the cycle of violence will persist.
He also pointed to the government's tendency to scapegoat the public for its geo-political manoeuvres only and questioned its commitment to the welfare of Manipur's citizens.
Compounding the crisis are claims that Kuki militants have exploited government inaction to launch attacks from positions near army camps, exposing the futility of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in safeguarding civilian populations.
The central government must realise that its current handling of the crisis has left much to be desired and that a genuine commitment to addressing the underlying issues is crucial to resolve the crisis.
It is time for the central leadership to shed its notorious reputation of colluding with militant groups and prioritise its actions.
Twenty months is not a fleeting period but the time for empty rhetoric has passed; it is now crucial for the government to demonstrate a real commitment.
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