The ethnic violence in Manipur started in May 3, 2023
New Delhi has displayed inexplicable incompetence in dealing with the impasse in Manipur, where ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities, which had begun on May 3, 2023, has so far resulted in the death of over 250 people and displacement of 60,000.
The fact that the issue has been allowed to fester on for two years without much of an essay at resolution has rendered it more tangled and unsolvable with the passage of time.
After giving the former Chief Minister N Biren Singh a long rope for an amazing length of time, the Centre finally sent him packing, but the imposition of President’s Rule has not witnessed any progress towards a permanent resolution of the Manipur imbroglio.
The administration continues to treat it as a law-and-order issue, as evidenced by the crackdown on militant outfits and recovery of small numbers of weapons, which had earlier been looted from government armouries. No doubt, such operations are necessary, yet these will in no way serve to bridge the deep divide, which now appears to be a permanent feature of the broader Manipuri society.
Well-wishers of this State are unanimous in opining that unless a systematic change is brought about in the administrative structure of Manipur without infringing on its integrity, such as giving more self-governing power to the hill tribes, it might be impossible to resolve the problem.
Given that two years have elapsed since the current spell of conflict began, with no permanent resolution in sight, the Kuki-Zo community can hardly be blamed if they are contemplating taking things into their own hands. As reported in a section of the media, Kuki-Zo MLAs, civil society organisations and suspension of operation groups from Manipur held a joint meeting in Guwahati on May 16 to discuss, among other aspects, the formation of a “popular government” in the strife-hit State!
It may be noted that a decision for this meeting was taken last Tuesday at the first meeting of the Kuki-Zo Council’s (KZC) governing body at Rengkai in Churachandpur. The meeting is expected to focus on consolidating the demand for a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo community.
The ten Kuki-Zo MLAs in the State were the first to flag the demand for a separate administration a few days after ethnic conflict broke out, and the fact of their presence in the meeting will perhaps indicate what its outcome might be.
It may also be noted that the KZC’s first Council meeting had reaffirmed its political aspiration for a separate administration under Article 239A of the Indian Constitution, akin to the Union Territory model of Puducherry.
Such demands make it imperative that the Centre step quickly in with constitutionally acceptable proposals, which might empower the hill tribes without upsetting Manipur’s integrity.