Union Tribal Affairs Minister misinformed for thinking Manipur ethnic conflict as "simple law and order situation," says ITLF

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of Recognised Tribes in Lamka, Outer Manipur, has said that the Union Tribal Affairs Minister, Jual Oram, was misinformed for thinking that the ethnic conflict in Manipur as "a simple law and order situation."

In an exclusive interaction with The Hindu newspaper on Wednesday, the Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram had said that the ethnic conflict in Manipur for more than a year now is a “law and order situation” that is being dealt with by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Whenever a conflict of such nature occurs, it is only natural for everyone to look for solutions, he had said.

“This problem is actually one of the Home Ministry. Law and Order situation is a State subject. In this, you are asking about this only because one of the parties involved is a tribal community… Who will not want a solution? But this is being handled by the Home Ministry, in coordination with the State government and the Governor there,” the minister told the newspaper.

Oram had also added that it would not be prudent to comment on the issue any further without delving into the specifics.

Reacting strongly against the statement of the Union Minister, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum stated that the conflict in the first 24 hours might be a 'law and order' issue, but not the whole episode. Instead, the conflict is an ethnic cleansing pogrom against the Kuki-Zo community, ITLF said, while requesting the Union Minister to study the matter more deeply and help the tribals in their hours of need.

In a statement issued on Thursday, ITLF stated that the conflict was a law-and-order issue for the first 24 hours, during which an impartial government could have stamped out the violence. "However, it is well documented that state police forces from the majority Meitei community made no effort to stop the attacks on minority Kuki-Zo tribals but actively participated in the violence," it said.

"It is also well known that the worst and most prolonged ethnic conflict after India's partition happened because of the actions of state Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and his patronage of militant Meitei organizations like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, who orchestrated the systematic targeting of tribals.”

"After more than a year of hostilities, the deaths of more than 200 people, and the displacement of more than 60,000, it should be clear to everyone that the conflict is not a simple law and order issue," it added.

ITLF recalled that sections of the Meitei community and militant groups like Arambai Tenggol have openly said that they would not stop their attacks until they kill all Kuki-Zo tribals or drive them all out of the state.

“They have raped, tortured, killed, and desecrated the dead bodies of tribals and openly recorded their acts on video without facing any repercussions. The state and central government refuse to act. If this is not ethnic cleansing, then what is?” ITLF asked.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum also alleged that the state machinery, controlled by the Meiteis, supports one community, and all essential and non-essential items for tribal areas like Lamka (Churachandpur) have been blocked for more than a year.