Isolate Kuki Militants by Facilitating Safe Return of Kukis Keen on Peaceful Coexistence

L B Singh *

The Supreme Court-appointed committee and many prominent personalities have stated that some elements are interested in maintaining tension between the communities and preventing the restoration of peace and harmony in the State. Whenever the violence level comes down, and there is a ray of hope for peace, the Kuki militants attack the peripheral villages adjoining the hills or other places.

A well-known Kuki reportedly stated the need to escalate the Manipur crisis to keep the demand for a separate administration alive. It is clear from the events in the last 20 months that the intentions of Kuki militants and people with vested interests are to keep the ethnic cauldron boiling to justify that they can’t live together anymore with Meiteis.

The above objectives of the Kuki militants and many other factors indicate that some Hereditary Kuki Chiefs, militants, and people with vested interest meticulously contrived the horrific attack on the lives and properties of Meiteis in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Moreh on 03 May 23 to create animosity and hatred between Meiteis and Kukis.

The emotionally charged Meiteis lost their sense of judgment, fell into the trap of vested interest, and retaliated with violence against the innocent Kukis in the valley. The innocent ordinary Kukis in the valley were alienated and traumatized by the violent retaliatory action.

The momentary loss of judgment due to shock and anger can be understood. Still, it cannot justify attacking or killing innocent people in retaliation for the barbaric attacks and heinous crimes committed by the Kuki militants.

The majority of the Kukis know peaceful coexistence of all ethnic communities is the only way to ensure the prosperity of our future generations in Manipur. However, the peace-loving ordinary Kukis are forced to keep quiet as they do not have any other option than living in the hill areas dominated by the Kuki militants. If the innocent Kukis are assured of their safe return to the valley, some may gather enough courage to express their view.

The majority of the Kukis are not militants or narco-terrorists or illegal migrants. It is not correct to assume that every Kuki is a militant narco-terrorist or illicit migrant. Therefore, we should respect the innocent Kukis who are keen on peaceful coexistence and facilitate their safe return to the valley. On the other hand, we should vigorously pursue with the GoI to track down and punish the Hereditary Kuki Chiefs, militants, and the vested interests responsible for the present crisis.

In the present crisis, Meiteis are still struggling to be united and to speak in one voice. However, the intensity of their anger against the Kukis without differentiating the innocent Kukis forced different sections of Kukis to unite. The Meiteis can isolate the Kuki militants and the vested interest by differentiating innocent Kukis and facilitating the safe return of the Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence.

The law-and-order situations during the present crisis are helping the actual culprits who have committed heinous crimes to hide from law enforcement agencies. Therefore, the continuation of the violence would help the criminals and militants. Whereas more innocent Meitei/Kuki would lose their lives in fresh violence and everyone in Manipur including the Naga and others would be subjected to misery.

Every aspect of life has been severely affected and the continuation of the present crisis will be disastrous for the people of Manipur. Many prominent people have recommended various actions for the Central and State Governments to restore peace and Normalcy in Manipur. This article highlights actions for the people of Manipur, especially for the Meiteis to restore peace and normalcy in the State.

The Kuki militants consider the so-called Buffer Zone a gift from God, and it is the forerunner of a separate administration. The continuation of the so-called buffer zone would help the objectives of the Kuki militants, and it is a grave danger to the integrity of Manipur. It is recommended that the Meitei declare a unilateral ceasefire and withdraw Meitei village volunteers from the so-called buffer zone. It should be made clear that the security forces are solely responsible for protecting the Meitei villages from the Kuki militants before declaring a unilateral ceasefire.

Since the objective of the Kuki militants is to pressure the GoI for a separate administration, they are likely to continue or escalate the violence even after the Meiteis declare a unilateral ceasefire. There may be more Meitei/Kuki casualties and cessation of hostility may take considerable time. However, the aim of the Kuki militants to disintegrate Manipur can be defeated by adopting peaceful non-violent means, with compassion, empathy, and mutual respect for the section of Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence.

The Security Forces are now acting as a peacekeeping force between the Meitei and the Kukis as both ethnic groups are engaged in violence. As a peacekeeping force, the Security Forces use minimum force. However, if the Meiteis declared a unilateral ceasefire, the Security Forces would be compelled to protect the Meitei villages from the Kuki militants.

The Kukis and the vested interests have been successful in projecting themselves to the world as the victims of the present crisis. However, if the Meitei declares a unilateral ceasefire and adopts non-violence means to restore peace and normalcy, the truth about the Kuki militants and vested interests would be exposed to the world.

Once the security forces take sole responsibility for defending the Meitei villages, they will retaliate with full force to the Kuki militants attacking them/Meitei villages. The security forces personnel will not hesitate to give up their lives to protect the Meitei villagers. The people of Manipur will then realize that the personnel from our Armed Forces are impartial and care for and love our countrymen.

Many brave sons and daughters of Manipur are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect the integrity of the state. These brave people would be very keen to protect the Meitei villages from the Kuki militants themselves. However, if hostility with the Kuki militants is continued for a longer duration at the so-called buffer zone, it will become a de-facto boundary. Therefore, it would be essential for them to hand over the task of protecting the Meitei villages to the Security Forces to save the integrity of Manipur.

The Naga politicians, CSOs, social activists, intellectuals, etc. should discuss with the Meitei and Kukis the means to restore peace. The Naga, Kuki, and Meitei women’s organizations and the churches would be required to play a key role in the restoration of peace and normalcy. The women’s organizations can remove misunderstandings and hatred and restore mutual trust and respect between the Meitei and the Kukis.

Naga Women’s Union Manipur can hold discussions with the Meitei and Kuki women organizations in the churches and other places in the valley/hill to promote peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect and to avoid aggressive actions against each other and not to support violent activities and blockades of essential items.

It would be a challenging task to spread the awareness that only some Hereditary Kuki Chiefs, Kuki militants, and vested interests are responsible for the present crisis. The other Kukis are innocent and we should treat them with mutual respect and empathy.

It would also be challenging to convince the village volunteers to declare a unilateral ceasefire and withdraw from the so-called buffer zone as the village volunteers are from various sections of society and various organizations. The leaders of the various Meitei organizations, CSOs, social activists, etc. should explain the importance of declaring a unilateral ceasefire and the safe return of innocent Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence. Active participation of the politicians and the elected MLAs is essential.

The objectives of the Kuki militants and the vested interests pursuing political goals by violent means can surely be defeated if the Meiteis declare a unilateral ceasefire, withdraw from the so-called buffer zone, entrust the defense of Meitei villages with the Security Forces, and facilitate the safe return of the Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence.