The fire engulfing Manipur refuses to die down. A fresh wave of violence in the state has claimed at least five lives since April 7. This includes two children of a Border Security Force jawan, who were killed in their sleep when an explosive device hit their house in Tronglaobi. Three others were killed when CRPF personnel opened fire at a mob that tried to loot the armoury at Gelmol. On April 18, two Tangkhul Naga men, one of them a retired soldier, were killed by suspected militants in Ukhrul. Meanwhile, a three-day shutdown called by the United Naga Council has brought life to a standstill in several hill districts.
BJP Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who took oath on February 4 after a year-long President’s rule, has not been able to quell the violence that erupted long before he took charge. The situation is so tense that on Tuesday, the CM had to take a helicopter to a new block development office after the police fired at protesters blocking his way through Thoubal district. It is no longer only a conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo communities that erupted in May 2023. Tension over land ownership between the Kukis and the Nagas has also boiled over in recent weeks.
Manipur witnessed brutal internal conflicts in 1992, 1993 and 1997 too, which claimed several lives, displaced lakhs of people and pushed the state back by decades. The historical reasons for mistrust among the communities have been deepened by government action such as uneven resource distribution and asymmetrical political representation. The inability of successive governments to address the common man’s genuine grievances speaks to a massive governance deficit at both the state and central levels.
Every wave of violence reduces the administration’s authority and further weakens people’s trust in government and civil society. When pushed to the wall, they often place their trust in armed militias for protection. This dangerous trade-off for survival digs deep into the psyche of the people in this neglected land. The resultant violence slays dreams, too. It robs generations of quality education, employment and a place in the sun. The government must be deeply empathetic while sitting down with all sections of Manipuri society and demonstrably addressing their issues one by one.