Meira Paibi/Women’s Organisations Can Restore Peace by Non-Violence Means

L B Singh *

The people of Manipur have faced untold suffering since ethnic violence broke out on 03 May 23. More than 225 precious lives have been lost, about 5000 houses were burnt or destroyed, and 60,000 people have been rendered homeless. The Internally Displaced People (IDP) are living in the relief camps in sub-human conditions, and many people are also struggling to survive with extreme difficulties.

The events of the last 16 months clearly show the intentions of one ethnic community and the vested interest in keeping the ethnic cauldron boiling to justify that they can’t live together anymore with Meiteis and pursue their objective for a separate administrative unit.

The Inquiry Commission constituted to investigate the crisis by the Government of India (GoI), has been directed to submit the report no later than November 2024. Hopefully, the Commission will bring out the conspirators of the horrible and shameful violence in Manipur, and all the false narratives will be exposed.

Various organisations and the government have been unsuccessful in restoring peace and normalcy. Whenever the violence level comes down, and there is a ray of hope for peace, the vested interests attack the peripheral villages adjoining the hills or new places like Jiribam District or deploy rockets/drones to bomb civilians. People have become hypersensitive and reacted hysterically out of anger and desperation.

The people in the valley live like a besieged country in war; the essential items can’t be transported to the valley through National Highways without security escorts, and the cost of the essential items has skyrocketed. No innocent Kuki and Meitei can venture to the central valley and the adjoining hill areas without risking their lives.

The people’s frustration and helplessness are seen during the protest/night torchlight march organised by Meira Paibi/women’s organisation, students, etc. The frustration and helplessness of the people have generated anti-India sentiments.

The present crisis is highly complex due to the historical background of Manipur, the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, India’s geopolitical interest in Myanmar for the success of the “Act East Policy,” and the “Kaladan Project,” China and USA’s interest in the region, exploitation of the situation in the NE by external forces to destabilise the country, involvement of foreign militants and drug mafia, poppy plantation, illegal immigrants, efforts by GoI to find solutions to the problem of insurgency in the region, and protracted peace talks with the Nagas/Kukis and the militants/organisations working to unite the Kuki-Zo tribes in Manipur, Mizoram, Myanmar and Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

Most Meiteis and Kukis know that the peaceful coexistence of all ethnic communities is the only way to ensure the prosperity of our future generations in Manipur. The protracted violence has retarded the progress of the state and severely affected every aspect of economic activities. Violence will not solve any problem, and continued violence will be disastrous for the progress of the state and the future of the next generation.

However, many innocent Meiteis and Kukis were shocked and traumatised by the horrific violence on 03 and 04 May 23 and have lost their sense of judgement, mutual trust and respect for each other. Anger and hatred have overcome them, and they have an intense desire to avenge the death of each person.

The hardline elements have taken control of the situation, and the ordinary Meitei/Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence are apprehensive about expressing their views. Even the most powerful politicians and CSOs take utmost care when expressing their views so as not to displease the hardliners.

Women have always been the leading torch bearer and driving force in Manipur’s social, political and economic reforms. In 1904, “the First Nupi Lal (Women’s War)” compelled the British to revoke their own order.

Women vendors of Ima Keithel, various markets, streets and localities are the breadwinner of their families and the driving force for the education of future generations in Manipur. During the present crisis, thousands of women have been guarding the roads/streets and various locations and have spent many sleepless nights in mosquito and insect-infested places.

Except for the Meira Paibi/women’s organisations in Manipur, no one can restore peace and save the integrity of the state. The women’s organisations can remove misunderstandings and hatred and restore mutual trust and respect between the Meitei and the Kukis. Women’s organisations can hold various activities to promote peaceful coexistence, calm down frail nerves, prevent people from becoming hysterical, and help them regain their sense of judgment.

The Meitei political parties, radicals, CSOs, and insurgent groups have different aims and objectives. However, all Meiteis have one common desire: they value Manipur’s integrity above anything else. The objective of external forces, Kuki militants, and the vested interest to disintegrate Manipur can only be defeated by facilitating the safe return of innocent displaced Kukis/Meiteis to their respective places in the valley /hill.

All the vested interests, including the foreign elements, would put up maximum efforts to prevent the return of the innocent Kukis to the valley by various means. However, with the help of all sections of Meiteis, the women’s organisations can remove the mistrust/hatred between the Meiteis and Kukis and facilitate the return of the innocent Kukis to the valley by adopting non-violent, peaceful Gandhian means.

Facilitating the supply of essential food items and medicines from the valley to the poor section of the innocent Kukis by the women’s organisations would also promote mutual trust and respect.

The continuation of the present crisis and the so-called buffer zone would help the objectives of the vested interest and is a grave danger to the integrity of Manipur. It is recommended that the Meitei declare a unilateral ceasefire, withdraw Meitei village volunteers from the so-called buffer zone, and make it clear that the security forces are solely responsible for protecting the villagers from the Kuki militants.

The security forces now act as peacekeepers between the Meitei and the Kuki village volunteers. Once the Meitei village volunteers are withdrawn, the security forces will assume their usual task of protecting the people. The security forces will not hesitate to sacrifice their lives to protect the Meitei villagers.

The GoI, on the other hand, should take immediate, decisive actions against the militants involved in the crisis. It is recommended that all weapons be recovered by conducting search operations in the valley and hill simultaneously. To avoid unnecessary face-off between the Meitei/Kuki women’s organisation and the security forces, the village volunteers may be apprehended only if the individual has committed a severe/heinous crime.

Considering the threat to national security, the GoI should also undertake the work connected with the Manipur crisis on a war footing. During the Second World War, the British constructed many airstrips and roads in Manipur on a war footing.

The Tongjei Maril path from Manipur to Cachar was converted to a Jeepable road in four months during the monsoon by the British (from July to September 1942). Given the security scenario, the work for fencing the border between India and Myanmar should be undertaken on a war footing.