Lucy Marin’s death could also be turning point for Manipur’s Naga tribe to take up arms and seek protection
Post Date – 23rd Monday 17th July 11:40pm
July 15th may go down as Black Saturday in the annals of Manipur, not because of mass violence but because of the cold-blooded murder of Lucy Malin by a private militia. Lucy Maring belongs to one of the 20 Naga tribes that live in Manipur, probably the second largest community after Meiteis. She was allegedly executed by Arambai Tenggol after she was kidnapped in eastern Imphal. Following the execution, the United Naga Council called on Manipur to shut down for 12 hours to protest the killing. Lucy’s killing cannot be considered another murder. It could also be the turning point that forces Manipur’s Naga tribe to take up arms and seek protection. Once caught in the vortex of violence, the actors in the violent theater will not quit easily. If the Naga armed groups are forced to participate in this wanton conflict, despite their reluctance, the situation may spiral out of control. It is worth noting that Lucy’s killing came days after NSCN(IM) warned against harming the Naga tribe in Manipur. Roughly speaking, the Naga tribe is more numerous in four regions: Ukhrur, Senapati, Chander and Tamron. Meanwhile, the United Naga Council, which has called for a dawn-till-dusk shutdown, has made no secret of blaming the Metai militant group Alan Byten Gol for killing Lucy. While it did not warn of retaliatory violence, it warned that “vested interests who seek to draw us into the conflict will not be spared” and that “our past acts of patience and tolerance should be seen as signs of weakness”. The Naga have so far insisted that Manipur must be at peace and not embroiled in disputes.
Inexplicably, the federal government has remained silent on the situation in Manipur. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi chooses silence, then Home Minister Amit Shah did visit Manipur. The BJP’s double standard is concentrated in Manipur. While the party calls on the president to rule in West Bengal, where 15 people have died, the party has remained silent on racial violence in Manipur state, where 150 people were killed and thousands were injured. Instead, the violence has continued unabated. Armed forces are finding it difficult to act and contain violence because they are not dealing with just one faction or militant group. They faced the formidable task of fighting against the heavily armed Metais and Kukis organizations. The absence of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur certainly hampers the security forces. It is currently only in effect in Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. India can’t afford to let the civil strife continue now, and the Khalistan separatist forces are active again. The situation in Kashmir remains worrisome. The wounds in Manipur are festering and the bloodshed could soon escalate to “civil war” levels as violence between the Metais and Kukis continues to rage. It’s time for India to act.
