Political will in hosting Sangai Festival: What about conflict resolution ?

Yenning *

Golden Myanmar Airlines flight originating from Mandalay, Myanmar landed at Tulihal International airport on November 21 2013 :: Pix - David M Mayum

Denizens of Manipur, at least of the Imphal area, witnessed with bated breath the aggressive preparations towards the holding of the Manipur Sangai Festival. Still roads are being mended in various areas of Imphal. Looking at the newly mended roads, thick and well laid, one gets the impression that such kind of contribution from the Government is bound to bring about changes in the tiny state. Do we smell governance making its soft entry in the State? This is the funny question raging in the minds of the people. However, one witnessed a patch of political will being enacted out, say, out of the revenues that is going to be earned and most important of all from monetary kickbacks.

Will of the Government to enforce its ways is also being witnessed in the manner in which an International Flight was made to land from Mandalay. This happened when Tulihal Airport which lacks all the required implements, facilities, infrastructure and others to be notified as an International Airport and when the Airport Authority of India was besieged with lack of manpower.

Further, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in its report, based on its inspection declared that Tulihal Airport is one of the most poorly maintained airports in India. Although, process was under to convert Tulihal into an International Airport was underway, Ibobi Government could enforce its mandate to declare it into one. This could happen on account of the holding of Sangai Festival. Al least a "decision" was politically taken to declare it an International Airport although, as stated above, the minimum requires were absent.

But one thing stands out that is the will of the Government. It has demonstrated that it can make things work if it so desires even it is temporary like the conduct of the Sangai Festival. Earlier, we witnessed the firm stand of the Government, when it denied the entry of Muivah into the territory of Manipur. Or when the Uripok Road was mended to facilitate the wedding entourage of the son of Chief Minister Shri Okram Ibobi!

Such political will seems to be missing when one looks at the real issues bombarding Manipur. Take for example, on the second day of the Festival, a public curfew was announced by a banned outfit. Reason being, why the tamasha and celebrations over a Festival, and the hula boo over participation by delegates from Thailand, Myanmar and others, when Manipur is losing out its territory to Myanmar. Modality of enforcing the bandh or for that matter any bandh is despicable but certainly, there is meaning in the statement of the problem.

If we look from another perspective, lets try to find out how many security forces, guarding the Internal Boundary in Manipur have fallen victims to crossfire or otherwise as witnessed in the Indo-Bangladesh border or the Indo-China Border or the Indo-Pak Border. None in the case of Manipur! We are not even aware if the Indian security forces are guarding the fence like the Border Security Forces or the Indo-Tibet Border Police or the Madras Regimental Corps do in other parts of India. The ongoing border and territory incident indicates the absence of Manipur in the physical imagination of India. But the Government of Manipur fails to read it and even-more work with a political will to solve the problem.

Then there is the vexed issue of armed conflict which has ravaged the state for more than 60 years. In this area, again, we find the total absence of political commitment as well as political will to bring about a solution. Conflicting parties, both the Government and the armed opposition groups are moving in parallel directions in terms of defining the situation or identifying the root cause(s). The Government has not accepted the position of the armed opposition groups. Similarly, in-spite of engaging international cooperation (military or otherwise), particularly with Myanmar, to suppress the armed movement in the state, the Government continues to claim that it is a "law and order" problem, and most recently, terrorism. In the absence of a common meeting point, peace remains elusive.

The Report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have added salt to the wounds of Manipur by adding that most of the atrocities against civilians were committed by the state police. Partially true, the Commission has not looked beyond the recent cases. In a way it has only made conditions for the sustenance of the Armed Forces Special (Powers) Act, when it cleared the involvement of human rights violations in the state.

The reason for citing NHRC is that, this Commission like any other does not delve into the root cause of armed conflict in Manipur rather builds up cases to liken it to any other state in India, and thus, main that the problem in Manipur is a law and order problem. Political gimmick on the players representing the Indian State, lack of political will on the part of the state Government , firm stand on the part of the armed op[position groups and silence on the part of the general populace of Manipur has continued to make Manipur a "Wounded Land".

Let's refresh our minds for a moment. First, the speeches by successive Governors of Manipur clearly indicate that the Government does not have any policy or political will to address the situation. In-spite of engaging militarily for decades, even at the international level, they stick to their position of "law and order" problem and deny even the presence of armed conflict in Manipur.

Secondly, any official document that indicates the existence of armed conflict is out rightly rejected or concealed. For instance, the Justice Jeevan Reddy Report on Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 was concealed because the report spelled out the situation of Manipur as "Internal Disturbance" which can be characterized as non-international armed conflict as per the International Committee for Red Cross.

Mere appeals for peace talks without any strategy from time to time along with military engagements cannot bring about any tangible solution and least of all, in addressing the problem. It is unfortunate and also surprising that the Government so far has not come up with their own policy to resolve the conflict inspite of engaging militarily since the late 70s. The Government is simply managing the conflict but Managing the conflict has the danger of not resolving it and this open up the possibility (in many cases certainly) that the conflict will come up again in the future.

Needless to say, lack or absence of political will is one of the stumbling blocks in resolving the conflict in Manipur. Absence of any rehabilitation camp in-spite of the surrender policy for decades is just another indication that the Government does not bother to resolve the conflict. It seems like Government is benefitting from the conflict and thus, they don't want to resolve it else two three decades is a long time to come up with a policy or a strategy to put an end to the conflict.

Similarly, the conflict resolution process in Northeast experiences more or less similar pattern. The process are mostly to deal an accords or agreements rather than creating a space for peace process. Rajagopalan Swarna after studying agreement, accords in the region since 1947 observed that it has barely shown any characteristics of processes that would lead to a lasting peace. He further adds that pre-accord talks have not been inclusive.

Moreover, the provisions agreed upon with one groups frequently and patently conflict with the interest of others. And finally, the accords either contains provisions to address core conflict issues n a manner that cannot be implemented or they do not deal with core issues at all. He concludes that in the six decades since independence of Indian, no responsive and accountable political infrastructure has been created either for conflict resolution or for governance itself.

Now the valid question is, if Manipur Government could exercise its political and eke out certain "things" from the Centre that the Government deems important, why cannot the same be done in other spheres, too? But the most important question is how long is the political will going to last? We afraid that once the glittery Sangai Festival comes to an end and the "important" international delegates return home, its strong political will vaporize.

If the Government really cares for the people then, political will needs to be exercised in issues that's really hurting Manipur. And this happens to be the prevailing armed conflict. At least the Government needs to take up to concerned authority anywhere that there is an ongoing armed conflict in the state.

Or otherwise, it should take a unilateral decision in declaring it like it has done in the partial removal of AFSPA from the Imphal Municipal areas. If it is done so and able to resolve the conflict at the same time, then the Government need not harass the people in the manner it is being done using all available state police forces to host the Manipur Sagai Festival. Perhaps, more people will participate in making it merrier and meaningful once the state becomes peaceful.