Suspension of Operation, background and realityt
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 21 2011 -

THE SUSPENSION of Operation agreement signed by the Central Government, the state government and two umbrella bodies covering various armed Kuki underground outfits is yet to make an impact.

Apart from an understanding its chronological history or indeed the fine print of the agreement what we should also discuss the weaknesses which make the agreement unable to make an impact.

Kuki armed militancy has its roots on an anti Naga foundation. There was a short but bitter armed confrontation between the Nagas and the Kukis.

The Kukis have a tendency of introducing themselves as non-intrusive shelter seekers in other people's lands. And they have that penchant to moralise and preach.

The Nagas on the other hand, generally prefer to identify themselves with land. Their bug bear is the Meetei. Nothing creates more curiosity and suspicion to the Nagas than the Meetei. Its a love hate relationship. Understanding the dynamics of this complex relationship saps the very energy of life.

Instead of trying to come in terms with it, some Nagas have taken up a confrontationist stand, what will be the outcome, only time will tell. After all you can choose and pick your friends but you cannot choose your neighbours.

The two inherently different social polities that is the Nagas and the Kukis traded deadly blows in acts which can only be defined as inhuman. Even Kuki children and mothers lost their lives to mindless killings.

The violence stopped but a rage in the Kuki mindset had already been let loose. As a direct result of which armed Kuki militant groups started mushrooming.

The Nagas provided the rationale behind the growth of armed Kuki militancy, but Kuki UG groups consciously decided to outlive their purpose even after the ethnic clashes have subsided. They turned to being brigands.

It is against this backdrop that the central and state governments came to an agreement to sign a 'Suspension of Operation' pact. What the two governments must realise in right earnest is the need to quickly find a place for the Kuki UG cadres to be assimilated in mainstream life.

How they are going to go about it, is a problem they have to solve, after all nobody had forced them to be leaders. If however the central and the state governments dither to take the correct choices they will soon learn that the SoO pact is just a scrap of paper.

Playing out the niceties like having rounds of talks, setting up of hierarchical orders or increasing or reducing monthly stipends are all symptomatic signs of a myopic view of the reality.

If the central government decides to dither, surely the state government should not and cannot follow suit.

Since it may be impolite to raise our voices to shake you out of your stupor at least hear us when we say as you remain insisting on formalities your actions will encourage the Kuki UGs from making a living as brigands.

So act.