Centre sends more forces to Manipur; experts push for political will over military presence

Imphal, Nov 24: The Centre has announced the deployment of additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to Manipur, with a total of 288 companies of troops now being stationed across the state. Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh confirmed the deployment, which aims to bolster the state’s security infrastructure in response to the escalating violence and unrest between the Kuki and Meitei communities.

As the situation in Manipur continues to simmer, the deployment of additional forces and the extension of AFSPA remain contentious issues. While the government sees the moves as necessary for maintaining order, critics argue that a more strategic and politically driven approach is needed to address the underlying issues and bring lasting peace to the state.

Senior Journalist and Author Pradip Kumar Phanjoubam questioned the effectiveness of the increased troop presence, urging that both sides of the conflict—the Kuki and Meitei communities—need to be equally disarmed. "In a conflict, you cannot disarm only one side, both sides have to be equally treated," he says.

Phanjoubam highlights that while troop deployment has been ongoing for some time, there has been little concrete action, with forces stationed at "buffer zones" without real engagement. He argued that merely controlling violence does not equate to peace and called for a deeper investigation into the root causes of the ongoing crisis.

“The absence of violence might look like peace, but in conflict studies, the absence of violence and actual peace are two different things. Merely controlling violence will not solve the crisis in Manipur,” Phanjoubam said, recalling a similar situation in 1993 when the violence subsided but no lasting resolution was reached.

On the issue of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which has been extended to six new police station areas, Phanjoubam criticised the reliance on military force, noting that “the army is trained for warfare, not policing”. He argued that AFSPA does not necessarily lead to peace and that political will and strategy, rather than sheer force, are key to resolving the conflict.

Retired police officer Brojen Thangjam echoed this sentiment, stressing on the importance of the qualitative use of the additional forces rather than their numbers. He questioned the strategic rationale behind the troop deployment, stating, “The troops are scattered across towns; there needs to be a clear strategy to contain the violence.”

Thangjam also voiced concerns about the extension of AFSPA, calling it a mechanism whose “effectiveness depends on the intent behind its use”. “The violence continues even in areas where AFSPA is already in place,” he pointed out, suggesting that a well-structured plan could manage the violence without resorting to the law.

Former Director General of Police and former Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar, on the other hand, questioned the need for additional forces, arguing that the state already has enough security personnel. He suggested that the issue lies not in the quantity of troops but in how they are deployed and utilised. “There are sufficient forces to handle the situation,” he stated, adding that the additional forces may be intended to protect properties and homes of ruling party MLAs who have come under attack in recent weeks.

Joykumar also expressed concerns about the state government’s intelligence capabilities, pointing out the small size of the state and the relatively easy task of gathering information about the locations of the communities involved. “Manipur is such a small state, everyone knows where the Kukis live, where the Meiteis live, so it’s a matter of common sense,” he said.