Manipur violence discussed at UNHRC side event
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 02 2024: The violence in Manipur which has been lingering for over 500 days, was brought to global attention in a side event of the 57th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on September 30.Scholars and activists from the India-Bangladesh region converged for a discussion at the side session titled "Manipur Crisis and Human Rights Situation in Western South (East) Asia (WESEA) Region", focusing on the causes and regional impact of the conflict.

The session was moderated by Dr Elangbam Bishwajeet, a visiting professor at Aston University, United Kingdom.

As one of the speakers at the event, DM University associate professor Dr Arambam Noni raised strong objection against demands for ethnically exclusive homelands.

Stating that the idea of ethnic homelands is obsolete and against democratic political culture, he underscored the historical distinctiveness of Manipur's pluralistic society, while maintaining that any attempt to divide the region along the ethnic lines would undermine both its social integrity and its democratic foundations.

Dr Noni's remarks came during a discussion on the challenges besieging Manipur wherein he focused on the dangers posed by ethno-centric politics while warning that such divisive narratives were being increasingly weaponised to destabilise the state and further fragment its already fragile social fabric.

The session opened with a presentation by Indigenous People's Socialist Association (IPSA) working president Khurajiam Athouba, who provided a comprehensive overview on the Manipur violence along with referring to his research on the crisis and presenting a detailed database on the incidents that have taken place.

His presentation titled "Understanding Manipur Crisis: Its Causes and Impacts," provided a factual framework for understanding the situation.

Athouba cited newspaper reports that 90 per cent of the attacks in Manipur were unprovoked assaults carried out by Kuki militants.

He presented evidence of trans-national involvement, highlighting that several Chin- Kuki underground groups had origins beyond India's borders, particularly in neighbouring countries.

Reflecting on the controyersial idea of a "lebensraum" for the Kuki community, propagated by figures such as PS Haokip, Athouba cautioned that such notions posed a direct threat to Manipur's territorial integrity and its long-standing tradition of peaceful cohabitation among various ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, Dr Arambam Noni, the second panellist, built upon this analysis by delving into the historical context of Manipur.

He outlined the unique status of Manipur as an erstwhile Asiatic Democratic Kingdom State, which was incorporated into India following the signing of the Manipur Merger Agreement in 1949.While acknowledging that Manipur has faced conflict and violence over the years, he contended that demands for ethnically exclusive homelands are not only untenable but also rooted in an outdated worldview.

"The idea of ethnic homelands," he said, "is obsolete and against democratic political culture".

Dr Noni explained that Manipur's demographic landscape is far too diverse for such demands to be feasible.

The state is home to more than 35 communities, each with their own distinct cultural identity.

This rich pluralism, he pointed out, is one of Manipur's greatest strengths, and any effort to divide the state along the ethnic lines would be both undemocratic and detrimental to its future.

According to him, the rise of "sectarian ethnic politics" in Manipur is being fuelled by external factors, particularly the trans-national instability in the region, and the growing illicit economic regimentation.

He cited the example of Myanmar's drug trade, which has an annual market value of around $40 billion, as a major driver of conflict and instability in the area.

One of the most pressing concerns raised by Dr Noni was the weaponisation of ethnicity by certain elites and academics, particularly those advocating for a Kuki "lebensraum'' that would stretch across India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

He argued that such ethnocentric claims were not only obsolete but also posed a direct threat to the multi-cultural fabric of Manipur.

"Ethnic homelands," he explained, "balkanise the multi-cultural polities and undermine the democratic foundations of modern states".

Dr Noni also raised concerns about the broader geopolitical implications of these movements, noting that they are often supported by illicit cross-border activities, including drug trafficking and human displacement.

He highlighted the environmental degradation caused by deforestation in Manipur, which he linked to the trans-border drug trade and the shifting of poppy cultivation from Myanmar to Manipur.

He said that the state lost 877 sq km of forest cover between 1987 and 2021, triggering tensions among the region's various ethnic communities.

Highlighting adverse socio-economic impact of the Manipur, including deprivation significant section of the valley inhabitants in Manipur access to national highways that connect them to the rest of India, Dr Noni described the Manipur situation as arbitrary, unjust, and violation of basic human rights.

He also voiced concerns over Manipur's land laws, which have contributed to the demographic pressures in the central valley.

Though the valley is only 8 per cent of Manipur's territory, it is home to nearly 60 per cent of the population, leading to fears that ethnocentric politics and administrative policies could turn the central valley into a geographic minority.

The session also featured contributions from advisor to the Swiss Bangladesh Women Association Dilara Malique, who spoke about human rights issues in Bangladesh, and human rights defender Punam Duhotia, who focused on the environmental and social impact of mega-dam projects in India's northeast, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.

Punam Duhotia highlighted the issues of displacement and ecological damage in the seismically active zones of the region, emphasising the need for a more sustainable approach to development.

The side event concluded with an appeal from Dr Bishwajeet, the moderator, for an immediate end to the violence in Manipur.

He also called for the safe release of two youths who are being held hostage by Kuki militants.

Dr Bishwajeet's closing remarks reflected the sentiments of the panel, which emphasised the need for peace, stability, and the protection of human rights in the region.

In his final comments, Dr Noni reiterated the need to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of Manipur under the mandates of Article 1 and Schedule 1, Entry 19 of the Indian Constitution.

He also invoked international legal principles such as 'uti possidetis juris' to argue for the maintenance of existing borders and the prevention of ethnocentric fragmentation.

"We must discourage ethnocentric claims and politics," he concluded, calling for a collective effort to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur.

Comment