Non-violence means and restraint are essential for defeating the objectives of the Kuki militants

L B Singh *

The following significant positive developments give hope for the return of peace and normalcy to the people of strife-torn Manipur:

- The representative of Arambai Tenggol (AT) met Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on 25 February 25. It is learnt from the interview of Mr Manindra Mangang, a respected member of AT that the Governor had assured AT, among others:

- No separate administration for Kukis.
- Implementation of NRC, detection and deportation of illegal migrants, no poppy cultivation.
- Guarding of the peripheral outskirts of the valley area by the Central Security Forces and the Manipur Police.
- The surrender of 246 weapons by AT on 27 February 25 in response to the appeal by the Governor of Manipur.
- Surrender of large number weapons in the hill districts.
- The directives of the high-level meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister (UHM), Amit Shah, on 01 March 25:
- Ensure free movement of people on all roads of Manipur from 08 March 25.
- Strict actions should be taken against those creating obstructions on the roads.
- The fencing work on both sides of the designated entry points along Manipur’s international border should be completed at the earliest.
- To make Manipur drug-free, the entire network involved in the drug trade should be dismantled.

The peace initiative was generally welcomed by the people in the valley and the AT. However, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has challenged the directives of the UHM and adopted 8- point declaration including:

- No free movement shall be permitted in the Kuki-Zo area until a solution that respects their rights and aspirations is reached.
- No Kuki-Zo volunteers shall be arrested. Any such action will be met with consequences...
- Our demand for Separate Administration in the form of a Union Territory is final. We will not negotiate; we will not compromise, and we will not retreat.

The CoTU is controlled by the hereditary Kuki chiefs and the response is on the expected lines. Some hereditary Kuki chiefs, Kuki militants and vested interests are mainly responsible for misguiding and spreading hatred among the ordinary innocent Kukis for many years leading to the present crisis. Therefore, they will make every effort to prolong or escalate the violence to pursue their objective.They will desperately try to derail the peace initiative of the Manipur Governor and the UHM.

On the other hand, some Meitei CSOs questioned the sincerity of the peace initiative of the Union Government without appreciating the bold decision and the enormous task of restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur where there is still considerable hatred between Meitei and Kuki. Many agitate the people by spreading rumours.

The life of everyone in Manipur has been severely affected by the ongoing crisis. The poorest of the poor section of the society has suffered the most and the lives of thousands of Internally Displaced People have turned into a nightmare.

People took out their anger and frustration in aggressive and violent manners aggravating the law-and-order problems. Further people become more frustrated and agitated by rumours and fake messages on social media which resulted in the suspension of internet service. It has devastated the economy of the state and affected the livelihood of thousands.

The objectives of the Kuki militants and the vested interests can be surely defeated, and the integrity of Manipur can be preserved by adopting peaceful non-violence means and by exercising extreme restraint by the Meitei.

If the people refrain from spreading rumours and forwarding the message on social media without verification, it will help the Government in restoring peace and normalcy. On the other hand, our aggressive and violent reactions will only make our lives miserable.

The leadership of the AT has demonstrated his wisdom by surrendering the weapons and agreeing to hand over the responsibility of guarding the Meitei villages on the outskirts of the valley to the Central Security Forces and the Manipur Police. The Kuki militants would try to provoke the Meitei by attacking a few Meitei villages and there may be even Meitei casualties.

However, the Meitei village volunteers should overcome the provocation and should not come out again to fight the Kuki militants. If the Kuki militants attack the Meitei villages, the Central Security Forces will retaliate with full force irrespective of the background history of Kuki militants.

“Home Minister, Amit Shah has said that the key demand by Manipur's Kuki-Zo community for a separate administration under a Union Territory status in areas having tribal majority will not be entertained by the Centre and is completely non-negotiable” (The Tribune 08 March 25).

Therefore, the Government of India has addressed the main concern of the Meitei even though the Kuki-Zo community has more expertise and skill in projecting their narratives to the international forums and media. The Meitei village volunteers, and AT should declare ‘Unilateral Ceasefire’ to expedite the peace process and to respect the sentiments of the Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence.

It is important to make the people in the valley aware of the fact that most Kukis are not militants or narco-terrorists, and they want peaceful co-existence. Only some hereditary Kuki Chiefs, Kuki militants and vested interests are responsible for the present crisis.

The Kuki militants and the vested interests should be isolated by facilitating the safe return of Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence. It will be possible only when the people in the valley are aware of the fact that the majority of Kukis are innocent and did not take part in the violence against the Meitei.

In September and October 2019, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) conducted a series of awareness meetings in various locations in the wake of the Naga Peace Accord which did not materialize. At that time, the awareness of the looming danger was spread across the valley in a short time.

It is humbly requested to all the Meitei organisations, CSOs and women’s organisations for the following:

- Conduct meetings at various places in the valley to spread awareness that most of the Kukis are not militants or narco-terrorist and did not take part in the violence against the Meiteis. Meitei should facilitate the safe return of Kukis keen on peaceful coexistence.
- Facilitate safe passage of Kukis to and from Bir Tikendrajit International Airport and other places in the valley.
- Wholeheartedly support the effort of the Government to disarm the civilians.
- Allow the Central Security Forces and the Manipur Police to retaliate whenever the Kuki militants attack Meitei villages. Meitei village volunteers should exercise restraint and should stay away.
- Advise the people to refrain from spreading rumours and forwarding unverified messages on social media.

The objectives of the Kuki militants and the vested interest who are pursuing political goals by violent means can be surely defeated by following non-violence means by the Meiteis.