Manipur's flames must be put out
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Manipur is once again engulfed in violence. The ongoing conflict and unrest in the state for over a year and a half have escalated to the point where the homes of ministers and MLAs are being set on fire. Attacks have even occurred at the Chief Minister’s residence. The violence against Christian churches and the houses of the Kuki community has become severe. Following this, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was imposed in six districts, and additional Central forces were deployed, yet peace has not been restored. In most parts of the state, internet services have been suspended. On Monday, people took to the streets and torched the offices of the ruling BJP and Congress parties. The violence this time are more severe than in the past. The perpetrators have meticulously planned and executed their attacks, and it appears that both personnel and weapons are being supplied to the attackers on either side as needed.
Declaring that the government has failed to address the violence, the second-largest party in the state government, the Nagaland People's Party, has withdrawn its support. Congress MLAs in the state have also announced their willingness to resign if people desire elections to restore peace. In protest against the government's indifference, some BJP leaders in the state have also resigned. Meanwhile, the state Chief Minister and the ruling BJP, along with their central leadership, continue their shameful silence after failing to end the conflict that began in May. Since the start of the unrest, the partial stance of the state government has also been a point of criticism.
Last Monday, the conflict entered a new phase when Kuki militants attacked the CRPF office, killing 11 people. Following the attack on the village market, the bodies of some of the six villagers kidnapped by the Kukis were found, prompting the Meitei community to take to the streets once again. The flames of riot spread to ministerial residences and escalated further. Reports suggest that clashes occurred between both groups and with the police in various parts of the state. Weapons have also been seized. The Kuki community has announced that they will not bury the bodies of the 10 people killed in the confrontation with the CRPF until the post-mortem reports are received.
According to official figures, more than 260 people have died in the ongoing violence in the state over the past one and a half years. Many others are missing. Over ten thousand houses have been destroyed, and numerous temples have been vandalized. More than 60,000 people are currently staying in over 300 relief camps. Over 200 company paramilitary forces are stationed in the state. The decision made at a meeting chaired by the Home Minister yesterday was to send an additional 50 companies and extend the curfew.
However, none of this has opened the eyes of the Central government. Neither the Central nor state governments have done anything to intervene effectively in the conflict, control the violence, or gain the trust of the people. Even after the fire spread in Manipur, the Prime Minister, who traveled to several foreign countries, has not once been willing to visit the state, despite the situation worsening so drastically. Although he eventually responded to the Manipur issue, his reaction was significantly delayed. Moreover, his statement lacked sincerity. Home Minister Amit Shah's state visit, which was hurriedly arranged, has been criticized for addressing only one side of the issue. Meanwhile, both he and the Prime Minister have ample time to visit various states, both in connection with elections and otherwise, and to repeat divisive politics. It was only when the conflict escalated that the Home Minister cut short his campaign in Maharashtra and returned to Delhi to convene a meeting. Prior to this, several meetings had been held concerning Manipur.
Certainly, the Manipur issue cannot be resolved merely through discussions or external remedies. In a situation where the people of the state are divided and taking up arms to take to the streets, a strong intervention from both the Central and state governments is required to heal the wounds. The Central government has yet to take decisive steps to quell the violence and regain the trust of the people, transcending caste, religion, and tribal divisions. The Prime Minister himself must take the lead and implement necessary measures. Both sides must be heard, and efforts should be made to address their grievances. If initiating steps for that make it necessary to dismiss the inactive and discredited state government, which has lost the trust of the people, that should be done without hesitation.
