Why fresh violence is a bigger worry for the riot-hit Manipur

Suspected Meitei armed groups on Friday morning gunned down three persons at a Kuki village in Naga-dominated Ukhrul district of Manipur, breaking over a week of lull in violence.

The killing has debunked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim during the Independence Day speech that peace was returning to the strife-torn state. The violence is now spreading to areas outside the domination of Meitei and Kuki communities amid failure of the Centre to resolve the core issues festering the conflict.

No let-up in violence

This is the second major incident of violence within a span of fortnight in what is perceived as a “neutral territory”, indicating a pattern that warring groups are now swooping on areas hitherto free from conflicts.

In the wee hours of August 5, three Meitei villagers were killed by suspected Kuki militants in Bishnupur district’s Kwakta, an area dominated by Muslim Meitei Pangals.

Security arrangements in the areas dominated by Nagas and Pangals are naturally less than in the core conflict zones. The warring groups are apparently taking advantage of this.

“Three Kuki village guards were killed in clashes with suspected armed Meitei militants at Thowai Kuki village in the wee hours of today (Friday),” Ukhrul SP Ningshem Vashum told The Federal over phone.

Though the identity of the group involved in the killing is not yet ascertained, the needle of suspicion after preliminary investigation points at Meitei armed groups, he said. The nearest Meitei locality in Imphal east district is about eight kilometres from the place of occurrence, he added.

No-conflict zone

Since the village was in a no-conflict zone, only one company of Border Security Force (BSF) was deployed to sanitise it and a proper buffer zone was also not created though three-Kuki villages are located there.

Considering the far-reaching ramifications of the ongoing conflict spilling over to “neutral areas”, the United Naga Council condemned the incident. “We appeal to the warring communities to refrain from any incident of violence in the neutral areas,” UNC working president Samson Remei said.

Community leaders of Nagas and Pangals are trying to broker peace between Meitei and Kuki communities through Track 2 negotiations by forming the Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur. Due to lack of sincerity on the part of the Centre, the peace initiative could not bear results, alleged convenor of the forum Ashang Kasar. He said the forum held several rounds of talks with Meitei and Kuki groups and submitted a slew of recommendations to restore peace to the Centre.

Bid to broker peace

The forum apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey of the outcome of their meetings with leaders of Meitei and Kuki civil society organisations and made certain suggestions.

“We are yet to get any response from the prime minister. The governor had initially shown interest to act on those recommendations, but she changed her mind after meeting with the Union home minister,” Kasar told The Federal. He said if the Centre was sincere in bringing peace and normalcy in the state it should call the conflicting groups for a joint meeting outside Manipur.

“The Centre’s policy of holding separate closed-door meetings with Meitie and Kuki groups will not yield any results. The two sides should be made to sit across the table in presence of the representatives from the Centre,” he said. Refusing to divulge details of the recommendations made to the government, he hinted that the civil society groups are willing for a dialogue. “Why not? If the Centre entrusts us, we can facilitate the meeting,” Kasar asserts.

A joint meeting of the two sides could be a major breakthrough in the conflict considering the complete segregation of Kuki and Meitei population. The situation has come to such a pass, that even senior IAS and IPS officers from the Kuki-Zo communities are not able to go down to capital Imphal to discharge their duties.

Threat to life

“It is not tenable for them to go to Imphal to work because of the risk to their life. Lower-ranking state government officials have been shifted to the hill districts. But the problem is for senior officials, as there are not enough posts commensurate with their positions in districts,” pointed out Paolienlal Haokip, a BJP MLA from Saikot constituency in Churachandpur district.

Haokip is among the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, who on Wednesday wrote to the prime minister to create “posts equivalent to chief secretary and DGP” in the hill districts. He said they placed the demand as interim measures to deal with the stalemate in the governance until a lasting solution is worked out.

“There is a need to expedite political dialogue for political and administrative recognition of the ethnic separation that has been forced upon us by the majority-community dominated Manipur government. But till such time the separate administration is worked out, the interim arrangement should be made to utilise the senior government officials to serve the people,” Haokip added.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.

The state is reeling under unprecedented ethnic violence since May 3.