Unreliable central forces
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: July 27, 2023 -

THERE is no doubt that Manipur at the juncture is deeply divided on ethnic lines with neither the state nor the central government able to impress upon the warring communities to cease hostility and come to the negotiating table whereas confusion grips the state with regard to attitude and conduct of already-stationed as well as freshly arrived central security forces with the latest sordid incident in a Kangpokpi district area involving the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel leaving ample room to suspect purpose of rushing in central forces to the state.

Apart from the latest indifferent attitude of the RAF, attacks by Kuki militants are most rampant in areas which have significant presence of central forces, thereby hinting at hidden agenda for their deployment.

Devastated by unabated violence for over 80 days, the Manipur situation is being taken advantage of by both the ruling and the opposition parties to engage in slugfest, both inside and outside the parliament in addition to leaders of national and regional political parties vising the state to oversee the situation or planning visits.

Never in the past had a Manipur issue caused disruption to the parliamentary proceedings as it is happening now, thereby implying that all sane parliamentarians are deeply distressed with the plight of the commoners as well as safety concerns of women and children. Concern for the public is precisely the reason why national and regional political figures as well as officials of rights organisations are eager to assess the ground situation so as to help mitigate suffering of the people as could be comprehended from delegates from mainland parts of the country making it a point to meet the displaced people taking refuge in relief camps in the hill and valley districts.

However, in sharp contrast to political leaders sympathising with the uncertain future staring upon the violence-affected displaced families, the poorer section of the society in particular, it seems that central forces deployed here lack the humane touch which both the communities in conflict are yearning for.

The primary reason for organisations and people of both the commuaities expressing disenchantment at the central and state governments'is due to failureto control the situation despite 60,000 Central paramilitary forces personnel deployed in the state.

With over 160 lives reportedly lost, injuries suffered by more than 600 people and approximately 50,000-plus men, women and children belonging to different communities sheltered in 350 camps set up in schools, government buildings and auditoriums since the ethnic violence broke out on May 3, one could safely assert that deployment of central forces or creation of the so-called buffer zones is serving no real purpose other than rogue elements within the central forces creating controversies and fear among the masses.

A classic case of the central forces making mockery of the government’s efforts to curb violence was the incident at Sapermeina village in Kangpokpi district on Tuesday when suspected Kuki militants and mob set on fire two buses engaged for carrying RAF personnel and the latter literally leaving the drivers at the mercy of the mob instead of protecting them.

Taking into account of the confirmed incidents of RAF personnel not even sparing media persons on duty and launching fierce crackdowns on women protesters in the valley contrary to inaction when the very vehicles they had travelled in were torched at Sapermeina, there is strong suspicion that RAF and other central forces are here to polarise the society on ethnic lines rather than help the state administration contain the violence.