Manipur has been under a civil war-like situation for the last three months. In this macabre violence that includes despicable sexual assaults on women, hundreds have died while thousands have been uprooted from their homesteads, and houses and property worth crores have been destroyed. At the same time, the state deliberately chooses to be a bystander instead of exercising its writs to stop the violence. Since the state and its organs, the Government of India and the Government of Manipur, have failed to control the violence, people have armed themselves to defend themselves. Consequently, Manipur, a state with centuries-old history, and known to the rest of the world for its scenic beauty, rich cultural heritage, dance forms, and world-renowned artists and sporting talents, has been reduced to a failed state presided over by unprecedented violence and chaos.
The question is, who gets benefits out of this tragedy that has struck Manipur?
The answer is undoubtedly those inimical forces that are hell-bent on destroying Manipur, the integrity of its territory, polity and society as well as its good name. In the name of “Kuki-Zo”, some forces have been trying to mobilize disparate tribes to establish Zale’n-gam, an independent and sovereign country covering border areas of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. In pursuit of this goal, these forces are fighting a violent war in Myanmar and Bangladesh. In India, the same people have also been waging a clandestine war to further the same cause of Zale’n-gam by strategically aligning with various issues and forces. The latest move pushes their covert agenda by tactically aligning with the concerns expressed by a segment of the population in Manipur regarding the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe list. Under the cover of the “Tribal Solidarity March” of 3rd May 2023, unlike other scheduled tribe communities involved in the rally, these inimical forces have launched a violent campaign to heighten the animosity amongst the people and create ethnic ghettoes to serve their old demand for a separate administration in Manipur as a strategic stop-gap arrangement to further the cause of Zalen’-gam, their independent country. This is followed by the old rhetoric of “Greater Mizoram”. These schemes are not only visible in the activities of various “Kuki-Zo” armed groups but also laid out clearly by P. S. Haokip, who is described by South Asia Terrorism Portal as “President of KNO,” (Kuki National Organization) and “Supreme Commander of KNA” (Kuki National Army), in his “Zale’n-gam: The Kuki Nation” published by Kuki National Organization, 2008.
Following their well-thought-out and meticulously planned strategy, they threw up pretexts such as the burning of a memorial gate by unknown miscreants, most likely committed by them, to launch and justify their violent campaign that started by burning Meitei houses and shops in Torbung-Phougakchao-ikhai area in Bishnupur District bordering Churachandpur District and Moreh in Tengnoupal District in the afternoon of 3rd May, 2023 well before the retaliatory violence erupted in Imphal and other districts in the evening. However, to conceal such treacherous acts, they activated their propaganda machine to paint a picture as if the violence was started by the Meiteis, and that too in Imphal. At the same time, to hide their well-planned move to cleanse the Meiteis from the Kuki-dominated areas like Churachandpur and Moreh, which they have successfully implemented, they created the bogey of “ethnic cleansing of tribal”.
Everybody knows that the Indian state, its central and state governments, and the security forces have failed to stop the violence. Besides, all these security establishments, the state police, central police organizations, paramilitary forces and the army have also been accused by different communities involved in the present conflict of being partial to one or the other community or adding one community in their attack on another community. However, these realities have been selectively used to invent a victim narrative of “state-sponsored” violence against the “Kuki-Zo”.
Financed by foreign institutions and agencies and the illicit drug money supplied by the drug cartels who are trying to turn Manipur into another Golden Triangle, the violent campaign led by the newly floated “Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum” (ITLF) and the Kuki armed groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) and their well-oiled propaganda machine has churned out one-sided, false and misleading narratives to cover up their motives and activities. Besides, to bluff unsuspecting people and those who hardly have any understanding of the history and nature of the conflict in Manipur and garner support for their violent campaign, their propaganda machine has belittled the sufferings of the Meiteis, the death and destruction that they have suffered in the hands of these marauding “Kuki-Zo” terrorists.
The focused and brutal campaign to achieve and justify separate administration that requires polarization and ghettoization of communities in the state has ensured that no peace between communities remains in the state. Thus, the peace pact amongst different communities in the Serou-Sugunu area that served as a model for peace in the midst of the violent conflict was treacherously destroyed by the “Kuki-Zo” terrorists on 28th May 2023 when they attacked Meiteis and burnt their houses, and mercilessly burnt alive an 80 years old woman, widow of a freedom-fighter. After their first attack in the Torbung-Phougakchao-ikhai area on 3rd May 2023, this attack in Serou-Sugunu was a part of the second wave of assaults on the Meitei carried out simultaneously in different parts of the state by the “Kuki-Zo” terrorists. It is noteworthy that while the first assault was launched when the Vice President of India was on a state visit to Manipur, this second wave of attack was initiated on the eve of the visit of Mr Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, to the state.
Confirming the underlying rationale of these pre-planned and coordinated attacks on the Meiteis which have led to this violent conflict is to create a condition to justify the demand for a separate administration, the “Kuki-Zo” people have been shouting, “No Separate Administration, No Peace”!
There is no hiding: “Kuki-Zo” wants Separate Administration, which is an old demand. This time, they have gone in for a violent push to achieve this goal as a temporary step towards their dream of Zalen’-gam. Those who use violence to achieve their demand do not want peace. Since, their demand is founded on ethnic exclusivity and sharpened polarization amongst communities in a country marked by diverse cultures, languages and religions etc, they clearly do not believe in the peaceful co-existence of different people. They do not have faith in a diverse and multicultural society. They believe in sectarian and communal politics.
It is no surprise that “Kuki-Zo” communities have not asked for peace. Even a few amongst them who have called for peace and taken the “middle path” for a negotiated solution to the conflict have been brutally silenced. Most of them, including their intellectuals, are busy parroting hatred and false narratives from all possible platforms to sustain the violent conflict.
In contrast, like many other sensible members belonging to other communities in Manipur, the Meitei intellectuals, artists, sportspersons, politicians and many ordinary citizens have appealed for peace and harmony, and for peaceful co-existence of indigenous people and fellow citizens in the state. Anybody can see this truth in media and public meetings.
We, the Meiteis, like many other cognate communities and fellow citizens in the state, love and worship Manipur. The history and legacy of this centuries-old state is in our blood. No one should doubt our patriotic attachment to this place and its diverse people, and our willingness to die for it. History has enough examples of how our forefathers have defended this land against external aggression by mighty powers. We, the present generation as children of those ancestors, shall not even blink an eye to sacrifice our lives while facing any threat to a united Manipur. Make no mistake about this resolve; we shall fight back against the violent attack on our community and the state to the last man and woman.
We shall defend and celebrate a United Manipur with its diverse communities and cultures, a prosperous Manipur in which its indigenous communities and fellow citizens can live in peace and harmony.
