Even after the violent conflict that erupted on May 3 last year with Kuki-Zomi militants attacking Meiteis in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and its bordering areas of Bishnupur district is almost nine months – 270 days on January 27, 2024, hostilities still continue.
The violent conflict has claimed more than 200 lives. 61,387 persons are pushed away from their homes and they are now taking shelter at refugee camps designated as releif camps and houses of their relatives.
In the violent conflict, 32 persons are reported still missing; 1,108 persons were wounded. 5, 172 houses were burned down and destroyed. 386 religous structures including 254 churches and 132 temples were destroyed, according the police briefing to the media as on September 14.
With the start of heavy attacks against the Security Forces particularly Manipur Police Commandos in Manipur’s border town Moreh along Indo-Myanmar border since December 30 till January 17, the Kuki-Zomi miltants turned their target against Meitei civilians.
The Kuki-Zomi militants killed four villagers including a father-son duo who had gone missing since January 10 when they went to collect firewood from the nearby hill Kumbi Haotak of Bishnupur district bordering Churachandpur district. Furthermore, on January 18, four Meitei civilians including a father-son duo in this incident too, were shot dead by Kuki-Zomi militants at Ningthoukhong Kha Khunou in Bishnupur District of Manipur.
Meanwhile, public protests spread in Imphal and adjoining areas against the government’s silent and inaction of the Central Security Forces against the Kuki-Zomi militants, triggered by the killings of two on-duty police personnel and injuring six on January 17 in Moreh in Tengnoupal district. They also demanded even the ouster of Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh.
Earlier, at least 13 security personnel including 10 Special Commandos and 3 BSF men have been hurt in several attacks carried out by armed militants between December 30, 2023 and January 2, 2024 in Moreh.
Following the public outrage, the State Home department requisitioned air assets in the form of helicopters from the Ministry of Home Affairs and reinforced additional security forces both Central and State and the helicopters reached Imphal January 18.
However, it cannot stop the Kuki-Zomi militants from attacking the Meitei villages in the foothills and they still continue wherever and whenever they have the adavantage.
Amidst the Kuki-Zomi militants’ intensified attacks against Manipur Police Commandos and Meitei civilians, the two prominent groups that represent the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities in Manipur on January 19 hardened their stances demanding action from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Manipur government of Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomeration of Manipur civil society organisations working for the untiy and integrity of Manipur and coexistence of the indigenous peoples of Manipur, met Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren at his residence in Imphal and issued a warning to act against those responsible for killing civilians and security forces.
The COCOMI blamed the government for failing to stop attacks on security forces and civilians despite the presence of many security personnel from the State Police, the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPS).
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) representing Kuki-Zomi tribes in Maipur on January 19, on the other hand, accused the State Government of supporting Meiteis and issued a warning.
The recent spate of violence escalated in Moreh following an attack on security forces and Tengnoupal, which is dominated by people from the Kuki-Zomi tribes, has been witnessing sporadic incidents of violence for over two weeks now with several instances of attacks on security forces by armed miscreants.
Terming the arrest of two Kuki persons believed to be involved in killing of SDPO Chingtham Anandkumar on October 31 last year in Moreh by Kuki-Zomi militants as a “blatant lie”, the ITLF had on January 16 given a 48-hour deadline to the State Government to release the duo.
“Our demands were not taken into consideration by the government. We will not allow the one-sided communal government favouring only the Meiteis to function in the Kuki-Zo areas. The government will be solely responsible for any untoward incidents that may transpire in the process,” a ITLF release said.
In the meantime, leaders and representatives of ten political parties in Manipur met Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren in the evening on January 21 and urged him to arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister on the ongoing Manipur issue.
State units of the ten political parties namely Congress, Janata Dal(U), CPI, CPI (M), All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Forward Bloc, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Revolutionary Socialist Party submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
The ten political parties in their memorandum to the Chief Minister said it will not be possible to find solutions to the problem without the active involvement of the Central Government considering the complexities of the conflict.
“It is the Government of India, who only can bring the parties in the conflict to the negotiating table and find a solution acceptable to all,” the memorandum added.
After the escalation of the recent violence in Moreh, Arambai Tenggol on January 20 summoned on the MLAs and MPs belonging to Meitei community to have meeting with them on January 24 to discuss what to do for Manipur.
Consequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) dispatched a team to Manipur comprising two senior Intelligence Bureau officers led by its Security Advisor for the Northeast and former Intelligence Bureau Chief A K Mishra.
The three members of the MHA who landed in Imphal on Monday evening held two meetings on Monday night and Tuesday with members of the Arambai Tenggol leaders at the residence of Manipur’s Rajya Sabha MP Leishamba Sanajaoba. It was reported that the leaders of Arambai Tenggol submitted six points to the MHA team.
Ultimately, at least 36 legislators from the Meitei community attended the meeting at the historic Kangla Fort, seen as the traditional seat of Meitei power. The 37 legislators including Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren signed a pledge that included Arambai’s key demands –Abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militants; Deportation of refugees from Myanmar to Mizoram; Implementation of a National Register of Citizens with 1951 as the base year; Erecting a fence along the Indo-Myanmar border; Removal of Kuki immigrants from the Scheduled Tribe list; and Replacing Assam Rifles with another central government force.
After the Kangla meeting while speaking to the public at Khwairamband Nupi Keithel, Arambai Tenggol Chief Korounganba Khuman told that the MLAs have aggreed to unite for Manipur and meet the Central leaders within 15 days.
On the other hand, though the Union Home Ministry and Manipur Government did not issue any statement on the meetings between Arambai Tenggol leaders and three MHA officials, the same six-point plege by the MLAs and MPs have been submitted to the MHA team.
Significantly, the demand is almost similar to a resolution adopted by 34 ruling MLAs who belong to Meitei community on January 21. The Meitei MLAs in their resolution said that if the Centre did not act on their demands such as suspending the SoO with militants, they would take “appropriate action in consultation with the people”.
“Legislators have unanimously resolved that the Government of India should take up appropriate action at the earliest. If the Government of India is unable to take any positive action as per these demands, we the legislators will take appropriate action in consultation with the public,” the resolution signed by 34 MLAs said.
Now, whether the recent development amidst hostilities will help end the nine-month violent conflict or worsen will depend on the action of the Government of India.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
