The imperative is to enforce peace without fear or favor and crack down on rioters
UPDATE – Mon 08 May 23 at 12:29am
The imperative is to enforce peace without fear or favor and crack down on rioters
Hyderabad: The state of Manipur is once again seething with communal unrest that has lasted for almost a week and claimed at least 52 lives. The unabated violence not only reflects a breakdown in the institutions of law and order, but also exposes racial fault lines in a region that has witnessed a contested history. The latest clashes were sparked by tribal solidarity rallies opposing Meitei’s demand for scheduled tribal status. The Meiteis, mainly Hindus, estimated to make up more than 60% of the population, live in the Imphal Valley. The hill tribes – mainly Naga and Kuchi – are mainly Christian and are designated ST. The relationship between the valley and the mountains has been rife with mountain dwellers accusing the Meites of political domination, while the latter fear the loss of assets such as land and cultural marginalization. Like much of northeastern India, Manipur is a mix of cultures, beliefs and ethnicities, many of which have a history of mistrust and violence. The priority now is to keep the peace and fight the mob without fear or favor. It’s a tall order because of the delicate nature of the conflict and the racial, religious and geographic divisions that have roiled the state for decades. After a clever political move to form the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the BJP has been claiming that it has largely succeeded in containing the violence. However, the region continues to be volatile. The Center and the State have the difficult task at hand of finding an amicable solution with all stakeholders.
The latest round of unrest has displaced thousands of people in both communities, although the center has deployed riot teams from the Rapid Action Force in the troubled area. Successive governments have had to take responsibility for allowing the situation to spiral out of control. Last month, the Manipur High Court had given the state government four weeks to submit a proposal to the Center on Meitei’s claim for ST status. In 2013, the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry wrote to the Manipur state government “requesting specific proposals and updated socio-economic survey and ethnographic reports”. However, Congress at the time did not follow through on the state’s waiver. The BJP-led coalition, which has been in power since 2017, has also exacerbated the sensitive issue. The unrest needs to be tempered by listening to the tribal population, who fear that once the Meites are added to the ST list, their educational and employment opportunities will be diminished. At the same time, due consideration must be given to the wishes and expectations of the Meiting community. Sustainable economic growth and social stability can be ensured through the peaceful coexistence of communities in Manipur.
