Fresh violence in Manipur that killed more than a dozen people after the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur police allegedly clashed with armed miscreants in Jiribam earlier this week has revealed that claims of peace returning to Manipur are hollow. Around 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities started in May last year, but there is no sign of peace returning to the state as violent incidents erupt at regular intervals. There were reports of efforts being made to bring both the warning communities to the negotiating table to resolve the issue but in vain. On Monday, the day the fresh clash between the state security forces and armed miscreants was reported, 10 MLAs belonging to the Kuki community had called out Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in a statement, accusing him of lying in the Supreme Court by claiming that Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had met with them to resolve the issue. If this claim is true, one can safely say that the state government has no political will to end the conflict. New Delhi too has miserably failed in taking tangible positive actions, including the sacking of the CM, to build confidence in both the warring parties that can eventually restore peace.
The failure to tackle an internal conflict even after 16 months surely doesn’t paint a good picture of a country seen as an emerging global superpower. Most importantly, turning a blind eye to the issue will prove costly for India. For a state with a violent past and home to several underground groups, there is danger of the ongoing clash turning into a perpetual conflict and spilling over to other ethnic groups, especially Nagas, if left unsolved for too long. The ongoing economic blockade imposed by the Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) in Senapati to protest the physical assault on two Naga men from the district is certainly not a good sign and it is not the first case. Nagas, the second largest community in the state after the Meiteis, and other smaller communities have remained neutral in the ongoing conflict so far but that position could change if harassment continues. Everyone in the state, irrespective of whether they are involved in the ethnic conflict or not, is affected by the ongoing violence. While individuals belonging to the two warring communities can’t enter the areas dominated by the rival party, those from other communities too are caught in the crossfire. Social fabric has collapsed, economic activities are badly affected by frequent bandhs and criminal activities like extortion, abduction and theft are on the rise, which could trigger social unrest in the future. All key sectors, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, etc., have been affected. In just one-and-a-half years, Manipur has been pushed back by several years. This is not a time to wait and watch. The central and state governments should act and do all in their power to restore peace.