On December 31, 2024, N Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state which has claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless. In a bitter political landscape, Mr. Biren Singh has exhibited rare moral courage and urged both the warring Meitei and Kuki communities to forget and forgive the past mistakes. The ruling dispensation has taken the major initiative by urging the people of the state to live together for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur. Now the opposition political parties, both at the state level and the national level have to show the reciprocal political maturity.
First a brief background of the ongoing conflict. The state has an area of 22,327 sq km with a valley floor of just 2000 sq km. It has a population of little over 30 lakhs with about 55% belonging to Hindu Meitei, Nagas at 20% and the Kukis-Zo accounting for 16 per cent. Balance population belong to Muslim and other communities. Meitei and Kuki-Zo people are in a state of conflict since 3 May 23 when violence erupted suddenly, immediate provocation being the Manipur High Court order recommending ST status to the Meitei community. The Meitei community has been demanding ST status similar to the Kuki-Zo community so that they could buy land in the hills since the valley, which has maximum Meitei population is already fully saturated. Obviously, the Kuki-Zo community which is largely Christian felt threatened. This court order was stayed by the Supreme Court but by then the state was engulfed in prolonged ethnic conflict and violence.
Manipur has a history of ethnic conflict for a long time. The ethnic conflict is essentially over control of land, particularly in the Imphal valley, which is a precious commodity in the state. During my military career, I served in Manipur in the year 2012 to 2014. As the Brigade Commander of the Imphal valley and the adjoining foothills, both Meitei and Kuki militants/terrorists were active in my area of responsibility. We had to carry out extensive Counter Terrorist operations to apprehend or neutralise the militants. With our proactive area domination, we pushed the Kuki militants to the foothills of the Imphal valley. The Naga groups were confined to the upper hill tracts while the Meitei armed groups operated in the valley. This unwritten arrangement worked well to usher peace in the state of Manipur at that point of time.
My experience and connect with the people of Manipur tells me that the majority desire a return to peace and normalcy at the earliest. There have been signs of thaw between the two warring communities in the last six months but the relative peace was disturbed on September 1, 2024 when a drone dropped bombs on two Meitei-dominated villages in Imphal West district. On September 2, drone bombing destroyed three India reserve Battalion bunkers in Imphal East district. The drone attacks were attributed to Kuki-Zo militant groups since the target was Meitei dominated population in the Imphal valley. Both the drone attacks were followed by heavy exchange of fire between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups protecting their respective turf which left 12 people dead. After another series of ground operations by the security forces which lasted till mid-October last year, the situation was once again restored to near normalcy.
The political atmosphere in the state of Manipur was also vitiated and bitter. The opposition, particularly the Congress has exploited the situation in Manipur to score brownie points over the ruling BJP. The political class in general and the elected MLAs in particular also faced the ire of the angry population. But some credit is due to the political class also because they withstood the anger of their people and tried their best to reach out under trying circumstances. Now it is opportune moment for all the political class, particularly the Congress led opposition, to show maturity and wisdom to talk peace in the state. Both the MPs in the Parliament representing Manipur belong to the Congress and they too have a major responsibility towards restoring peace in the state.
It requires immense political courage and a big heart to apologise publicly for a political leader. Biren Singh has staked his political career by doing so and his gesture must be appreciated by the people and the political class of Manipur. As brought out by him, the firing incidents in the state have declined in the last six months. It is my belief that both Meitei and Kuki communities have enough space in the state to live and coexist peacefully and prosper together. With the nomination of Shri Ajay Bhalla, the former Union Home Secretary as the Governor of Manipur, the state can look forward to good governance, welfare of the people, healing touch and rebuilding the state to its full glory in the new year 2025. Jai Bharat!
