When Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed security
officials to ensure free movement of people across the strife-torn state of
Manipur and clear all road blockades starting from March 8, after a high-level
review meeting in New Delhi earlier this month, many who have the ground
knowledge of the situation and the state’s complex social set-up might have
viewed it as a symbolic gesture and nothing more. This is because the Meitei
and Kuki-Zo communities have been virtually separated in every sense of the word
since the ethnic clash erupted on May 3, 2023, that killed more than 250 people
and displaced thousands of families. The Meiteis have not dared to travel or
cross the Kuki-Zo dominated areas and vice versa to date. As attempts to
restore peace under Biren Singh failed terribly, the Centre finally removed his
government and imposed President’s Rule after more than 23 months of conflict
and sporadic violence. In the hope of bringing back normalcy, the governor of
the state served an ultimatum to non-State groups to surrender the looted and
illegal weapons before the Centre announced free movement. But both the
attempts have failed. Thousands of arms and ammunition were looted from the
state armouries in the days that followed the violence but only a small portion
has been returned. A bulk of the looted weapons, including sophisticated ones,
are still with the non-State groups, which is a threat to peace. The “free
movement” attempt too resulted in violence, killing one and injuring dozens of
others as protestors hit the national highway in the Kangpokpi district.
What message does this send out to the world? It is clear
that normalcy is still far away. The refusal to return the looted arms
indicates that people are either still insecure or not willing to make peace or
that the weapons have landed in the hands of terror groups. Regarding the “free
movement” initiative, the intention may be good but the fallout indicates that
the Centre had not done its homework. Unwilling to go back to the Imphal valley
after the unprovoked attack in 2023, the Kuki-Zo community is adamant about its
demand for a separate administration, while subsequent violence that resulted
in casualties from both warring communities led to the divide both
geographically and physically. In light of this ground reality, the Centre
should make confidence-building efforts through dialogue. To restore normalcy
and facilitate free movement along the national highway, it is necessary to
forge an understanding through extensive consultation with all stakeholders,
including the Naga community. After all, the Centre can’t keep so many of its
forces in the state or provide security to public transport along the national
highway forever.
