Essence of the May 28 rally Waiting for Delhi to act
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More than two weeks since the Modi 3.0 Government took oath of office and the biggest and most pertinent question doing the round is when New Delhi would step in and do something concrete to sort out the human tragedy that has come to define Manipur. This point comes in the backdrop of the fact that the ethnic violence in Manipur has stretched for over 400 days and there is nothing concrete to show that something has been taken up to address the issue here. It is against this backdrop that the massive rally organised by the Co-ordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) on June 28, 2024 should be understood and appreciated. Too early to say how the rally would have gone down with New Delhi, but the great sea of humanity that one saw on the roads of Imphal on the said day came against the backdrop of over 220 people killed, thousands displaced and still surviving in different relief centres with no signs that the way forward has been charted out. On the other hand one has seen some positive vibes coming from the Raj Bhavan, with Governor Anusuiya Uikey conveying to Churachandpur Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar that ‘tangible steps would be seen soon.’ This particular line is of interest to The Sangai Express for Churachandpur is the place where trouble first broke out on May 3, 2023 after the Tribal Solidarity March organised by the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM). That the violence soon spread to Kangpokpi, Moreh and Imphal is another matter, but it was at Torbung where the first match stick was struck and where a Solidarity March supposedly staged against the order of the High Court of Manipur, turned communal with the Meitei houses being singled out and attacked. Since then Manipur has been on fire with over 220 people from either side having lost their lives and numerous houses razed to the ground. The flattened localities, where the Meiteis used to stay at Churachandpur, today stand as the mute testimony to the mayhem that was unleashed against the community on May 3, 2023. The much hyped Peace Committee that was formed during the early days of the ethnic clash turned out to be a non-starter and the disturbing part is the absence of any initiative to look for other options to replace the committee and perhaps set the ball rolling for a discussion.
The June 28 rally was very clear on one thing and that is Manipur cannot be bifurcated under any circumstances and that this came in the face of the call for a Separate Administration by the Kuki-Zo folks under the aegis of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) would and should not have missed the eyes and ears of New Delhi. The contrasting stands adopted by either side should be noted and it is time for Delhi to demonstrate that it understands the causes of the conflict. As Lt General Konsam Himalay shared during a one to one with The Sangai Express, the Centre’s understanding of the crisis should be informed by a factual assessment. ‘It would be more dangerous if the Centre’s conflict resolution initiatives are based on false narratives rather than factual assessment,’ is the line that the former Army officer laid down and this is where the need to flag the victim story that has been peddled becomes important. This is where it becomes extremely important to rubbish the bid to portray the clash along religious divides. Manipur should also take note of the elements which have been championing the false narratives across the length and breadth of the country as well as globally. It is also important for the people to acknowledge those who have risen above themselves to come out with the correct narratives and tell it to the world. The only question is whether Manipur has been mature enough to be able to tell the chalk from the cheese and the chaff from the grain. The stories at the ground are the stuffs that should be conveyed to the outside world and this is where The Sangai Express has always maintained that the right ingredients should be provided so that the story of Manipur can be told to the outside world.
The June 28 rally was very clear on one thing and that is Manipur cannot be bifurcated under any circumstances and that this came in the face of the call for a Separate Administration by the Kuki-Zo folks under the aegis of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) would and should not have missed the eyes and ears of New Delhi. The contrasting stands adopted by either side should be noted and it is time for Delhi to demonstrate that it understands the causes of the conflict. As Lt General Konsam Himalay shared during a one to one with The Sangai Express, the Centre’s understanding of the crisis should be informed by a factual assessment. ‘It would be more dangerous if the Centre’s conflict resolution initiatives are based on false narratives rather than factual assessment,’ is the line that the former Army officer laid down and this is where the need to flag the victim story that has been peddled becomes important. This is where it becomes extremely important to rubbish the bid to portray the clash along religious divides. Manipur should also take note of the elements which have been championing the false narratives across the length and breadth of the country as well as globally. It is also important for the people to acknowledge those who have risen above themselves to come out with the correct narratives and tell it to the world. The only question is whether Manipur has been mature enough to be able to tell the chalk from the cheese and the chaff from the grain. The stories at the ground are the stuffs that should be conveyed to the outside world and this is where The Sangai Express has always maintained that the right ingredients should be provided so that the story of Manipur can be told to the outside world.