Just days after Manipur government announced the resumption of inter-state bus services, traffic along National Highway 2 has been disrupted due violence in Senapati area.
Just two days after the Manipur government announced the resumption of inter-state bus services connecting Imphal with Dimapur and Guwahati, more than three years after ethnic conflict disrupted public transport along the crucial National Highway 2, fresh violence erupted in Senapati district, leaving a member of the CRPF injured. The incident came shortly after Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh urged people to use public transport services without fear. Traffic along NH-2, a key road corridor connecting Manipur with Nagaland and the rest of the country, has once again been disrupted following reports of arson and firing in the Senapati area, which has remained relatively more peaceful than several other districts. For those unfamiliar with the ground realities and complexities of the ongoing crisis, this may appear to be just another disruption to connectivity. But for the people of Manipur, every report of fresh violence brings a sudden gust of fear, because their trust has been broken too many times by the deaths of innocent civilians. While the resumption of inter-state bus services is undoubtedly a much-needed move and a significant step towards the restoration of normalcy, sporadic violence continues to disrupt the fragile peace in the state. Crossing the conflict zone remains a matter of life and death, as demonstrated by the recent abduction and brutal killing of innocent travellers. Assurances mean little when safety can’t be guaranteed.
The governments, both at the Centre and in the state, have failed to learn the lessons of the deadly ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which has claimed more than 260 lives and displaced thousands of families. This human tragedy could have been avoided had the government intervened promptly and contained the violence that erupted in the Imphal Valley on May 3, 2023. Unfortunately, the same failure was repeated in February this year, just days after the Centre ended President’s Rule in the state and reinstated a popular government headed by a Chief Minister from the Meitei community, with Deputy Chief Ministers from the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities. What began as a brawl between Naga and Kuki youths in Litan village has since spiralled into a wider and increasingly violent conflict between the two communities. The government’s failure to nip the violence in the bud and protect its citizens has pushed Manipur deeper into a cycle of perpetual conflict involving all three major communities. Today, armed militants masquerading as volunteers continue to threaten peace and attack unsuspecting civilians. This is a mockery of the presence of dozens of central paramilitary companies and the Army deployed across the state. More disturbingly, it sends a message that the state is either incapable of protecting its citizens or has failed to win their confidence in the security forces. India must earn the trust of the people by demonstrating that their lives and security will be protected. Armed militants and so-called “volunteers” must be disarmed and prevented from operating with impunity; only then will the public feel secure and take public transport without fear. Most importantly, the Centre must address the underlying unresolved grievances surrounding identity, land, political representation and economic disparity.