Cessation of hostilities prerequisite for dialogue
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Ningreingam Shimrah
The ongoing deadly ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis has been dragging on for over 16 months without much concrete initiative to end the violent conflict in the State of Manipur from both the conflicting parties. Much has been heard, said, with analysts speaking and writing on many platforms ranging from social media, YouTube, TV channels (both local and National), numerous interviews and observations have been aired from various experts and stakeholders etc. Claims and counterclaims, stating their position and interests from both the communities and parties have been made known to the public in the course of the various debates and interviews on social media.
It is also by and large amply clear that the cause of the conflict in the State of Manipur is manifold ranging from illegal migrants, war on drugs, rise of ethníc militants with territorial ambitions, pressure on land control, accusing majoritarian dominance politics, disparities in development, mishandling of Suspension of Operations (SoO), competing for Government jobs and reservation quotas, access allegiance to ethnic communities, nexus between ethnic militants and politicians for short term electoral gains etc. The order of the day in Manipur for the past one and half year is marked by allegations, counter allegations, blame and counter blame involving both communities against each other, in the process the image of both the communities involved in the conflict were demonised by portraying images of illegalities, hostility, war, violence and looking at each other through the prism of hatred. It looks like the whole population on both sides are somewhat weaponized, youths taking arms, women (Meira Paibis) including students used as shields and weapons in the streets through violent protest etc. Government and the people must however, remember that there are around 60 thousand internally displaced persons in the State due to this ethnic conflict battling for their survival in makeshift camps and temporary houses.
Recently, the conflict has added new heights of dimension by using drones to drop bombs, launching missiles like rockets, RPG, mortars etc to the civilian population which resulted in loss of precious lives. Thereafter, followed by massive students' protest demanding resignation of the Chairman of the Unified Command and resignation of police DGP. Further, students met the State Governor and demanded reinstatement of the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the Unified Command which the Governor turned down. Such is the war like situation in the State in the past weeks. We have witnessed for more than a year a complete breakdown of law-and-order with chaos, violence, protest etc ruling the roost.
Normal life is heavily disturbed, schools and colleges were closed on and off, rise of prices in essential commodities and goods due to blockade and bandhs on National Highways, monetary demands, all in the name of the ongoing war and conflict in the State etc are some of the visible dark scenarios which we are currently encountering in the State of Manipur. Suspension of the internet, sabotaging normal activities and hampering developmental works of the State Government have already adversely impacted the State economy and progress.
The current violent ethnic conflict has led to emergence of a new situation in Manipur, wherein a kind of visible and invisible internal divisions and frontier based on ethnic community seem to have been created. Thus, at present we are undergoing a situation of neither war nor peace in the State as stated by Ranabir Samaddar, in his book The Politics of Dialogue: Living under the Geopolitical Histories of War and Peace and I quote "Neither all-out war nor complete peace, this fragile condition makes political leaders and strategists feel claustrophobic-a war produces an end result and peace allows the rulers to carry out their politics for governing along their preferred path of development". Thus, the only way forward to resolve the current crisis is dialogue. No doubt, dialogue is a must in order to bring normalcy, peace and reconciliation in the State. Dialogue always brings to our mind the suggestion of a path to peace (Ranabir Samaddar, 2017). However, dialogue cannot take place amidst violence, therefore, it is the moral responsibility of the State and Central Governments to create a conducive atmosphere for talks. Cessation of hostilities will serve not only as a prerequisite for dialogue but it will also significantly facilitate the dialogue for peace process. Sufficient deployment of Central forces and State police in the vulnerable areas and taking stringent actions against use of violence as a means must be initiated irrespective of the groups and communities to which they belong. Restoration of law and order, calmness, enforcing impartiality by the State forces, decisive crackdown on people resorting to or instigating violence, people's trust in Government forces (both State & Central) must be re-established again. In short, the State must create a conducive environment assuring its commitment to bring peace and building trust amongst communities is the need of the hour.
It is significant and welcome though late, to learn of the announcement made by the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah while briefing the media on 17th September, 2024 that the Union Home Ministry (Government of India) is preparing a road map to resolve the ethnic conflict of Manipur. He emphasized the importance of talks between the Meitei and Kuki communities and to resolve their differences through dialogue means as the nature of the conflict is racial/ethnic and not terrorism. The headline in The Sangai Express newspaper also carred the caption Infiltration from Myanmar was the root cause of the problem and that fencing has started to stop it as suggested by the Union Home Minister. Stringent laws to regulate and contain rampant use of guns need to be brought in urgently in the State. Similarly, effective laws to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants as a long-term policy is needed in the State. The ideals of accommodating diverse ethnic communities in a shared space must be protected.
Thus, the prolonged and unending violence will not only adversely affect the State and its people but more so, it will also largely damage the image of the progressive and democratic face of the Indian State. Approaching this volatile situation of ethnic conflict in the prism of electoral gain by both the Central & State Governments including the Opposition parties will only aggravate and worsen the situation in the State to a point of no return. It is high time that both the Government and the people from both sides decisively intervene and work out the mechanisms to cease hostility immediately and pave ways and space for dialogue and negotiations for reconstruction and development and ultimately to usher in peace and harmony in the State. Cessation of hostilities from both the parties is the only way forward to begin this.
The ongoing deadly ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis has been dragging on for over 16 months without much concrete initiative to end the violent conflict in the State of Manipur from both the conflicting parties. Much has been heard, said, with analysts speaking and writing on many platforms ranging from social media, YouTube, TV channels (both local and National), numerous interviews and observations have been aired from various experts and stakeholders etc. Claims and counterclaims, stating their position and interests from both the communities and parties have been made known to the public in the course of the various debates and interviews on social media.
It is also by and large amply clear that the cause of the conflict in the State of Manipur is manifold ranging from illegal migrants, war on drugs, rise of ethníc militants with territorial ambitions, pressure on land control, accusing majoritarian dominance politics, disparities in development, mishandling of Suspension of Operations (SoO), competing for Government jobs and reservation quotas, access allegiance to ethnic communities, nexus between ethnic militants and politicians for short term electoral gains etc. The order of the day in Manipur for the past one and half year is marked by allegations, counter allegations, blame and counter blame involving both communities against each other, in the process the image of both the communities involved in the conflict were demonised by portraying images of illegalities, hostility, war, violence and looking at each other through the prism of hatred. It looks like the whole population on both sides are somewhat weaponized, youths taking arms, women (Meira Paibis) including students used as shields and weapons in the streets through violent protest etc. Government and the people must however, remember that there are around 60 thousand internally displaced persons in the State due to this ethnic conflict battling for their survival in makeshift camps and temporary houses.
Recently, the conflict has added new heights of dimension by using drones to drop bombs, launching missiles like rockets, RPG, mortars etc to the civilian population which resulted in loss of precious lives. Thereafter, followed by massive students' protest demanding resignation of the Chairman of the Unified Command and resignation of police DGP. Further, students met the State Governor and demanded reinstatement of the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the Unified Command which the Governor turned down. Such is the war like situation in the State in the past weeks. We have witnessed for more than a year a complete breakdown of law-and-order with chaos, violence, protest etc ruling the roost.
Normal life is heavily disturbed, schools and colleges were closed on and off, rise of prices in essential commodities and goods due to blockade and bandhs on National Highways, monetary demands, all in the name of the ongoing war and conflict in the State etc are some of the visible dark scenarios which we are currently encountering in the State of Manipur. Suspension of the internet, sabotaging normal activities and hampering developmental works of the State Government have already adversely impacted the State economy and progress.
The current violent ethnic conflict has led to emergence of a new situation in Manipur, wherein a kind of visible and invisible internal divisions and frontier based on ethnic community seem to have been created. Thus, at present we are undergoing a situation of neither war nor peace in the State as stated by Ranabir Samaddar, in his book The Politics of Dialogue: Living under the Geopolitical Histories of War and Peace and I quote "Neither all-out war nor complete peace, this fragile condition makes political leaders and strategists feel claustrophobic-a war produces an end result and peace allows the rulers to carry out their politics for governing along their preferred path of development". Thus, the only way forward to resolve the current crisis is dialogue. No doubt, dialogue is a must in order to bring normalcy, peace and reconciliation in the State. Dialogue always brings to our mind the suggestion of a path to peace (Ranabir Samaddar, 2017). However, dialogue cannot take place amidst violence, therefore, it is the moral responsibility of the State and Central Governments to create a conducive atmosphere for talks. Cessation of hostilities will serve not only as a prerequisite for dialogue but it will also significantly facilitate the dialogue for peace process. Sufficient deployment of Central forces and State police in the vulnerable areas and taking stringent actions against use of violence as a means must be initiated irrespective of the groups and communities to which they belong. Restoration of law and order, calmness, enforcing impartiality by the State forces, decisive crackdown on people resorting to or instigating violence, people's trust in Government forces (both State & Central) must be re-established again. In short, the State must create a conducive environment assuring its commitment to bring peace and building trust amongst communities is the need of the hour.
It is significant and welcome though late, to learn of the announcement made by the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah while briefing the media on 17th September, 2024 that the Union Home Ministry (Government of India) is preparing a road map to resolve the ethnic conflict of Manipur. He emphasized the importance of talks between the Meitei and Kuki communities and to resolve their differences through dialogue means as the nature of the conflict is racial/ethnic and not terrorism. The headline in The Sangai Express newspaper also carred the caption Infiltration from Myanmar was the root cause of the problem and that fencing has started to stop it as suggested by the Union Home Minister. Stringent laws to regulate and contain rampant use of guns need to be brought in urgently in the State. Similarly, effective laws to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants as a long-term policy is needed in the State. The ideals of accommodating diverse ethnic communities in a shared space must be protected.
Thus, the prolonged and unending violence will not only adversely affect the State and its people but more so, it will also largely damage the image of the progressive and democratic face of the Indian State. Approaching this volatile situation of ethnic conflict in the prism of electoral gain by both the Central & State Governments including the Opposition parties will only aggravate and worsen the situation in the State to a point of no return. It is high time that both the Government and the people from both sides decisively intervene and work out the mechanisms to cease hostility immediately and pave ways and space for dialogue and negotiations for reconstruction and development and ultimately to usher in peace and harmony in the State. Cessation of hostilities from both the parties is the only way forward to begin this.