Illegal infiltrations on amid border sealed claims
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: July 26, 2023 -

SIMILAR to the violence in Manipur drawing the attention of national and international media and even leading to disruptions to the parliamentary proceedings, some central forces remain under constant public scanner amid the crisis situation in the state with the latest report about influx of 700-plus illegal immigrants certain to raise posers on sincerity and commitment of central forces in maintaining vigil along the porous border and safeguarding the indigenous communities.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been facing repeated adjournments with the Congress-led opposition bench insisting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall have to deliver a statement on the Manipur issue in the house instead of commenting on the ethnic crisis, the naked parading of two Kuki women to be specific, after over two months of silence outside the parliament, the government has been accusing the opposition of stalling the proceeding and contending that Union home minister Amit Shah is the right person to speak on the matter.

While it is commendable thatAmit Shah on Monday conveyed to the opposition about the government’s readiness for discussion, it is also heartening to note that amid the distressful condition being endured by thousands of people directly affected by the ethnic violence the centre has acknowledged importance and sensitivity of the Manipur crisis and is showing keenness to find solution to the same.

Whether or not the monsoon session of the parliament proceeds smoothly only time will tell but one could safely state that the entire nation has finally realised gravity of the situation in Manipur, especially after the video of the naked parading went viral after over two months since the ethnic clashes broke out.

While pandemonium in the parliament could be construed as the policy makers at the national level sympathising with the suffering Manipuris, what should be of concern for the state’s indigenous population is the report about detection of 718 people from Myanmar entering state amid the crisis situation and claims of sealing of the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur to prevent infiltrations.

On humanity ground there is no issue with the Myanmarese opting for the safety of Manipur due to the geo-political strife in the neighbouring country.

However, the worrisome aspect of the illegal influx is that the border has reportedly been sealed and security forces carry out intensive patrolling in the border belt to prevent infiltration of Manipuri insurgents from Myanmar and their possible involvement in the ethnic violence in the state.

It is primarily due to complete sealing of the border that hundreds of Meetei residents of Moreh town, who had to leave their homes and hearth to escape attacks by Kuki militants and civilians, were stuck in Myanmar.

Indeed, return of some Meeteis to their home state was facilitated recently and evacuated to safer locations after brief sheltering at Assam Rifles camp in Moreh area.

As the Meeteis were left stranded in Myanmar for many weeks due to closure of the official entry/exit gates as well as preventive measures initiated by the security forces along the border belt, the question is who and why entry of the unauthorised 718 Myanmarese nationals was entertained and put up in over five Kuki villages, amid suspicion about involvement of Kuki-Chin mercenaries in the Manipur violence.