Is Total Separation the Only Solution and Way Forward for war-torn Manipur State?

The genesis of present ethnic cleansing in Manipur State

The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur State of India is an outcome of total failure and breakdown of constitutional machinery. The ethnic clash instigated on 3^rd of May, 2023 when a peaceful mass rally and tribal solidarity march organised by All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur (ATSUM) in all hill districts in protest against the demand for inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category was disturbed by the Meitei mob at Kangvai village, Churachandpur District. Torching of houses and churches, social unrest, bloodbath and total collapsed of law and order began and immediate suspension of mobile data services in the territorial jurisdiction of the State followed which continued to be extended till date after more than 85 days. Arms and ammunitions were ‘looted or given away’ from state police stations in broad daylight, students who stayed in hostels of Manipur University were searched for, hunted and chased after, women belonging to Kuki-Zo community residing and working at Imphal city were molested, raped and killed, and some men and women including a young boy was lynched, beheaded and burned alive the following days in different parts of the state as tension and violence escalated.

The story so far:

“Humanity has died in Manipur. Modi government and the BJP has changed Democracy and the rule of law into Mobocracy by destroying the delicate social fabric of the state”, lamented Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, President- Indian National Congress on failure of the government in handling the ongoing violence in Manipur.

Over 85 days have passed since the State of Manipur has seen and witnessed its ‘worst’ ethnic violence in its century long history of peaceful coexistence among different communities thriving in the beautiful land especially between the majoritarian valley populace and the minority tribal communities. None had foreseen that a day would come when ‘Separation’ between them would be the ‘only solution’ attainable.

Over 140 people killed, 50,000 displaced, and 357 churches has been burned down so far by the Meitei militia and fringes groups in collusion with head of state and state commandos in executing ethnic cleansing against minority tribal Kuki-Zo community, not to mention the barbaric, horrific, disgusting, shameful and inhumane desecration to numbers of Kuki-Zo women who had been stripped off not only physically but of their fundamental birth-rights and dignity as a fellow human and rightful citizen of this nation. Had it not been for the video leakage of the two women who were being stripped and paraded naked, sexually assaulted and gangraped in public which have shown the world the true depraved or nefarious nature of the Meiteis, national media houses and the BJP government would still have refrained and remained mere spectator with their inaction and whataboutery that obscures its unwillingness to address the problem the way it should when one of their State has been continuously burning for nearly three months!

What are the responses from Union government so far?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after more than 25 days of silence over the issue and continuous violence made a three-day visit to Manipur beginning from 29^th of May, during which he assured for the restoration of peace and normalcy in the State. What astonished every citizen of this country most has been the complete and incomprehensible silence and insensitivity upon Manipur violence by the head of the government, the Paradoxical Prime Minister Narendra Modi!

“We express our grave concern over the humanitarian tragedy that has destroyed Manipur. The silence of the Prime Minister is shocking and unprecedented. There is an urgent need to bring Manipur back on the path of peace and reconciliation”, voiced the Samuhik Sankalp of 26 political parties belonging to I.N.D.I.A(Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).

Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, “The Prime Minister’s silence is utterly incomprehensible…Why is the most eloquent orator in our country bafflingly silent?”, humorously remarking on the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Sabha MP after the Prime Minister had broken his silence on Manipur sometimes later the horrific video of the two Kuki Zo women stripped and paraded naked in public had gone viral in social medias commented by tweeting, “After more than 1800 hours of an incomprehensible and unforgivable silence, the prime Minister finally spoke on Manipur for a sum total of 30 seconds…... This is too little too late. Mere words won’t do it anymore. Action must speak louder. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister cannot escape accountability. The Chief Minister of Manipur should step down immediately.”

Party lines, electoral politics, general elections, Maan Ki Baat, foreign visits and cameras should be kept aside and priority should be given to taking accountability of the burning issues, visiting them and ensuring safety, relief and hope to the affected victims and their worn-out families, constituting an independent judicial inquiry commission to take into account of the situation, and pay heed to whatever demands are made by such sections of the society to the union government when violence of this tragic scale is witnessed in the country. These are prerequisite ‘SOPs’ and ‘homework’ the government ought to do and what the affected victims on humanitarian grounds and as a citizen of this nation deserved, for the least, from whatever party or coalition the ruling government may be from.

Are we truly Democratic and Republic?

Are we in some states of Myanmar under ‘military junta’ and in Second World War era during the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler’s ‘dictatorial leadership’ to experience the consequences of such ‘communal violence, hatred, enmity, lawlessness, disharmony and bloodbath’? What is the government doing behind closed doors in this time of war and distressed in the State? Will they be accountable and responsible for the lives lost, people injured and thousands displaced and rendered homeless? Do the ‘innocent common people’ have to pay the price of some ‘incompetent, communal, irresponsible, unaccountable and unprofessional leader’?  How can we expect the common people to feel secured and safe when a state BJP MLA who was advisor to the Chief Minister himself was crippled and bedridden?

Can we call ourselves a ‘secular’ country where all religions in the country irrespective of their strength have the same status and support from the state when certain communities are ‘burning down churches’? Can we still proudly proclaim as a country which uphold and promote the value of ‘fraternity’ transcending religious, linguistic, regional, or sectional diversities when we are ‘lynching, killing and beheading our own brothers and sisters’? Do we consider ourselves a ‘democratic’ country with possession of supreme power by the people as enshrined in the Constitution when we are being ‘dictated, divided and discriminated’ on grounds of indigeneity, castes, communities, languages, customs, cultures, cuisines, and colour? Do we still consider ourselves a ‘republic’ when the elected head of the state is being tyrant and dictatorial in his governance playing the game of favouritism towards a particular community and hatred toward the others? Can we still valorously claimed as a country which uphold the dignity of women when they are ‘stripped off, molested, paraded naked in public, gang-raped and killed?’

A failed Manipur would also mean a failed India-Bharat!

The Question of Accountability and Call for President’s Rule!

Hundreds have lost their lives, thousands have been displaced, a 7-year-old boy and his mother mercilessly burned to death, innocent man brutally beheaded, women sexually assaulted, gangraped and murdered, a Kuki-Zo BJP MLA crippled after having a meeting with the Chief Minister, official residences of State legislative assembly members burned, over 5,000 arms and ammunition openly looted from police stations, some leaders openly declaring war against another and over 90 days have passed! If this is not a State Emergency or Constitutional Emergency, then what is? To what height of scale need the situation of violence, heinous crime and lawlessness be aggravated more to be considered a State Emergency by constitutional and elected heads, the Governor of the State or President of India in particular?

Of what benefit is it for the country, particularly the tribal communities to have its first tribal woman President if she does not understand and feel the sentiments, sufferings, injustices and hue and cry of her people and continues to remained silent rather than speak up and fight for their political aspirations, demands, rights and justice?

Moreover, Article 356 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to issue a proclamation, if he or she is ‘satisfied’ that a situation has arisen in which the government of a State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Notably, the President can act either on a report of the governor of the state or otherwise i.e., even without the governor’s report.

Not surprisingly, Manipur has a history with record of highest number of impositions of President’s Rule (10 times) between 1951 to 2019: 1967, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1981,1992, 1993 and 2001. So why not imposed now in 2023 when the State is witnessing its worst genocidal ethnic cleansing and gross violation of human rights in history?

How longer need the violence continue to make the President of India satisfied that it is time for the Union government to take control and proclaim President’s Rule in the war-torn State of Manipur? How gruesome need the violence get more for the Prime Minister to wake up from his slumber and begin discussions and debates for lasting political solutions in the Parliament on Manipur violence?  What is the government still waiting for? Are we ensuring that the ethnic cleansing continue and more lives be lost?

Is total separation the only solution and way forward?

“The only way forward: Sack Biren Singh; Imposed Article 356” says Kapil Sibal, Rajya Sabha MP.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribes in their press release on 13^th July, 2023 made it official that the demand for a ‘Separate Administration’ is a demand for a ‘Separate State’ under the provisions of Article 3 of the Constitution of India.

While Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in one of his latest speeches vehemently opposed on the demand for separate administration by asserting, “…you can’t do whatever you wished to (implying the Kuki-Zo community); we will (publicly speaks like a Chief Minister of a particular community -Meitei community, targeting another community-Kuki-Zo community) fight till the last drop of our blood. Extreme consequences will cause upon those who try disintegrating Manipur. Separate Administration? That will never happen…!”

Howbeit, upon following the tragic events of violences in the state that has occurred over the past 3 months, and closely looking into the emotional, demographical and geographical disintegration and separation between the majority Meiteis of the valley and the minority Kuki-Zo communities belonging to the hilly areas, reconciliation and recondition among the two community will be a far cry and impossible!

Therefore, the unprofessional and communal Chief Minister N. Biren Singh must be sack or removed by the Union government from all his posts following immediate imposition of President’s Rule and initiating Parliamentary debates and discussions on political aspirations and demands made by the Kuki-Zo communities for ‘Separate Administration’ as demanded by its apex body for lasting peace in the region.

(Views expressed are personal)