Source: https://www.indiaspeaksdaily.com/peoples-alliance-for-peace-and-progress-manipur/

Violence and arson has been affecting parts of Manipur since 3^rd May 2023. At present in the Christian dominated district of Churachandpur, out of more than 5000 Meitei Hindu/Sanamahi, only 500 have been evacuated. The rest is under hostage of armed Kuki civilians supported by Kuki militants. Every house in the Meitei’s settlement area, established in 250 AD during the reign of Khoyum Tompok, has been burned down by well armed Kuki civilians and militants. The Meiteis have become homeless refugees in their own ancestral land and taking refuge at the DC office of Churachandpur District headquarters. Their lives are at stake. Kuki militants armed with sophisticated weapons hiding in trenches and bunkers are preventing the entry of Indian military forces to evacuate the Meiteis. In other words, none of them have been evacuated so far.

Kuki militants are currently in Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Government of India and Manipur Government. As a result, the Indian para-military forces like the Assam Rifles work in tandem with them providing shelter, food and weapon. A damning evidence has emerged when during the heat of violence at Dolaithabi of Kangpokpi district, the Assam Rifles provided arms and ammunitions to KRA cadres. This evidence was captured by a surveillance drone video (telecast by ISTV on 7^th May 2023). On the night of 3^rd May, Kuki militants burned down more than 500 houses at Ikou, Dolaithabi and Pukhao in Imphal East.

Equally, in the Moreh town of Tengnoupal, a Christian dominated district, almost every Meitei house, shop, hotel and vehicle have been burned down by armed Kukis. Few Meitei survivors are taking refuge in Myanmar and the rest in Assam Rifles Camp at Khudengtabi. So far none of them have been evacuated to safer places as Kuki militants have dug a large canal at Khudengtabi on the Asian Highway No. 1 to cut-off transportation and rescue mission.

In several parts of Kangpokpi, another Christian dominated district, several Meitei houses have been burned down by Kuki militants at Ikou, Motbung, Kanglatombi, Dolaithabi and other areas. Thousands of Meiteis escaped from the arsonists and are taking refuge at different parts of Imphal.

In the course of the ensuing violence, Kuki militants have destroyed Shiva Temple at Koubrou of Kangpokpi district and several Sanamahi abodes including household deities across the state.

The violence spread to the foot hills of valley districts where several Meiteis houses were burned by Kuki militants. In the municipal areas of Imphal East and West, several Kuki houses have been vandalised and burned/destroyed by irate mobs. In the course of violence several churches were also destroyed or burned down. Affected Kukis were safely sheltered at campus of Manipur Rifles and Tulihal Airport. Except for victims who have nowhere to go, all of them have been safely escorted home.

The onslaught against the Meiteis at different parts of Manipur was pre-planned, well organised and orchestrated. Unfolding events show that this is a pre-mediated move spearheaded by the Kuki SoO militants supported by Kuki high ranking government officials & Kuki CSOs (ATSUM, KSO, Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi and Kuki Inpi Manipur, etc.) to grab Meitei’s land and property and annihilating the community. At the same time it was instigated by select politicians of the warring Kuki community. On the other hand, the response in the valley was sporadic and directionless, more akin to mob response for survival.

How the Present Crisis Started?

Four interrelated factors can be cited for start for the present crisis. The first one is Manipur Government’s campaign on “War on Drugs”. The econ doe is the eviction of illegal encroachers from Reserve & Protected Forest (RF&PF). Third factor is the invitation of Manipur CM for inauguration of a government sponsored open gym at Churachandpur. And finally, it was the role of Shri Paolienlal Haokip, standing MLA of Saikot AC in Churachandpur district.

1. The “War on Drugs” Campaign

 Initiated by the BJP-led Manipur Government since November 2018, the primary aim of the campaign is to curb drug trafficking, illicit poppy cultivation, narco-terrorism in the hills and contain drug abuse. The campaign greatly affected Kuki drug traffickers, illegal poppy cultivators and investors. During the campaign, first of all, it was discovered that there has been massive deforestation of hill areas for poppy cultivation. Secondly, SoO militants are involved in poppy and drug trade spreading narco-terrorism. Thirdly, RF&PF areas are occupied by illegal Kuki immigrants from Myanmar. Per the Government of India report, “Forest Survey of India”, 2023, Manipur recorded a loss of 758 sq. Km of forest and tree covers from 2017 to 2021. Therefore, one can surmise that the present crisis is related to “War on Drugs” campaign, land, forest areas and ecological/environmental protection.

In 2019, the Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh along with all the leaders of the apex bodies of every tribe in Manipur took a pledge to stop illegal poppy cultivation and support the “War on Drugs”.

• Eviction of illegal encroachers from RF & PF

Manipur Government undertook eviction drive in April–May 2022 at the Waithou Reserve Forest in Thoubal district in which illegal Meitei and Meitei Pangal encroachers were evicted. Concrete buildings worth crores of rupees were also destroyed during the drive. New constructions at the Langol Reserve Forest in Kangpokpi district were also evicted in 2021–2022.

In February 2023, Manipur Government evicted 15 temporary Kutcha houses near the National Highway at K. Sonjang village in Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest (C-KPF). It was met with violent opposition in the name of protesting for not allowing new settlements in protected forest areas. Rampant massive poppy cultivation and encroachment has been going on in C-KPF for the past many years. The violent agitation and arson in K.Sonjang village is an excuse. The real issue runs deeper affecting the whole society of Manipur and India. It is worthwhile to note that villagers inside the C-KPF when the area was declared as Protected Forest can settle inside the forest with a host of rights and there is no question of eviction of the genuine forest settlers. However, the settled villages cannot expand without government permission.

On 10^th March 2023, Kuki Student Organisation organised a rally in Kuki dominated areas including New Delhi. According to Kuki Inpi, Manipur, “The purported peace rally was an earnest appeal to the Governor of Manipur to intervene on the policies of the Government (sic. Manipur) on Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, protected sites, wild-life sanctuaries and the extension of land revenue in the Scheduled hill areas of Manipur”. In extended rally at New Delhi, they appealed to the Prime Minister of India to stop eviction. The same video of the Churachandpur rally was shared by Shri Paolienlal Haokip, MLA Saikot AC, Churachandpur district, with the following words, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity”. The statement can be interpreted as the appreciation of united stand by the Kukis to continue inhabiting illegally in the RF&PF, protected sites and wild-life sanctuaries. It also implicates an undeterred opposition against implementation land use policy and modern land laws.

• Invitation of Manipur CM for Inauguration of government sponsored Open Gym, Churachandpur Town on 28th April 2023

Shri LM Khoute, MLA of Churachandpur AC invited the Hon’ble CM to inaugurate the Gym. However, one day before the CM’s visit, violent agitation by a group of people took place. Arsonists burned down the open gym and the inauguration function site. Abusive slogans were hurled against the CM shouting, “Chief Minister Biren Huithu” (literally, “Chief Minister Biren is a bitch c..t”). Further, on 29^th April 2023 a mob burned down the Forrest Office at Tuibong in Churachandpur. At the same time, two Meitei sacred household deities were desecrated, vandalised and destroyed at Thingamphai village in Churachandpur.

All these points to the fact that vested interest groups are keen on discouraging the government machinery to carry out village boundary demarcation inside RF&PF. Over and above, it is to discourage Manipur Government taking up action against poppy cultivation and drug trafficking.

In order to curtail the waves of violence Manipur Government deployed extra police personnel to Churachandpur to maintain law and order as well as to facilitate village boundary demarcation inside C-KPF. Arrest of arsonists by police took a sinister turn and exposed the true nature of a politician who came out to defend the culprits.

• Role of Shri Paolienlal Haokip, MLA Saikot AC, Churachandpur district

On behalf of arrested arsonists, the local MLA took up the role of negotiating with the Union Government. He succeeded in his mission and eventually, the arsonists were released. Boosted with ego he started undermining Manipur Government’s authority. During a victory celebration in Saikot he proclaimed, “The Government of India understood the problem of the Kukis even if the Manipur Government does not understand it”. There is striking similarity between these words and slogans raised by the 10^th March rally.

Then he started indulging in spread of misinformation inciting the Kuki public against eviction from C-KPF through massive use of social media, writing, “The Reserve and Protected forests are declared surreptitiously by Manipur Government”. In other words, he questioned the legality of declaration of the RF&PF in Manipur.

Shri Paolienlal Haokip utterly failed to perform his constitutional duty. His duty should have been to educate the public about the need of the reserve and protected forests and importance of obeying the law.

An End to the Question of Encroachment in RF&PF

In April 2023, Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Minister of Labour & Employment, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India visited Manipur. On 30^th April 2023, Shri Bhupenderji declared that “Protection of Reserve Forest and Protected Forest is a state subject and that Manipur Government is carrying out its constitutional duty”

On one hand, Bhupenderji’s declaration came as a soothing balm for Manipur Government. On the other hand, the Kuki SoO militants, Shri Paolienlal Haokip and his cohorts had to find a new strategy to protect illegal immigrants and poppy and drug interests. Because with that brief declaration, the Hon’ble Union Minister had put an end to the Question of Encroachment in RF&PF in Manipur.

Changed Strategy: Demand for Inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in Scheduled Tribe (ST) List of India

To protect interest of the Kuki SoO militants, Shri Paolienlal Haokip and his cohorts, they used the opposition to the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST list of India. In other words, opposition to the ST inclusion is just a facade to cover up their deeper interest. Thus, the interest group planned a solidarity rally through ATSUM (All Tribal Students Union of Manipur) against the inclusion of the Meitei/Meetei in the ST list. ATSUM is a pro-Kuki organisation and none of the office bearers are students. Planning for the proposed rally started on 29^th April 2023 timed to coincide with the Indian Vice President’s Manipur visit.

Earlier, Manipur High Court (vide W.P. No. 229 of 2023 dated 19^th April 2023) had directed Manipur Government to submit recommendation to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry, Government of India for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list by 29^th May 2023. Later on, the Honb’le High Court issued notices to the Chairman of Hill Area Committee (HAC) and President of ATSUM for appearance in the High Court “for instigating innocent hill people against the court judgement”. It should be noted here that the HAC had issued a public notice declaring that it was not consulted for the Meitei/Meetei’s ST inclusion and that it has not given any recommendation or consent for the same.

Tribal Solidarity Rally: Violence & Arson

On 3rd May 2023, massive rallies were organising in Kuki dominated areas of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal.  Kuki SoO militants in full combat gear guarded the rallies. There were no rallies in Naga dominated districts viz Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Senapati, Noney and Chandel.

During the rally, forest offices at Maultam & Mata Maultam in Churachandpur were burned down by 1:30 pm and during 1:30–2:30 pm tyres were burned in front of forest offices at Bongmol & Singhat in Churachandpur.

Accompanied by gun wielding SoO militants, the rallyists then marched down towards Bishnupur district. They attacked the Meitei houses as they marched on and proceeded upto Kangvai and burned down the Phouchakai Forrest Office at around 4:30 PM. Gun shots by Kuki militants filled the air. Frightened Meiteis fled away from their homes.

On their way back, the rallyists started to burn down the empty Meitei houses and shops from around 4:30 PM starting with Phouvakchao Ikhai (aka Phouchakai – 35 houses) and 12 houses along highway. In a coordinated move, at around this time, there were acts of arsons targeting Meitei houses at Kangpokpi, Moreh, Tuibong and Churachandpur town.  Altogether around 1600 houses/shops/hotels belonging to Meitei Hindu/Sanamahi were burned down. The most unfortunate act of violence was taking away of land Pattas from the Meiteis and threatening them never to return. Later on, it is discovered that in the abandoned villages, Kuki militants have put up sign boards declaring the sites as “tribal land”.

As the news of violence and arson spread like wild fire in social media, mob violence occurred particularly in Imphal. Angry mobs started to retaliate by burning the Kuki houses and property from around 10 PM. The attack continued on 4^th May also. Around 480 Kuki houses and religious structures were attacked, vandalised or burned. Violence on both sides continued at huge human cost upto 6^th May.

Who is Responsible for the Present Crisis in Manipur?

Few elites are responsible for the present humanitarian crisis. The first group is the bureaucrats and policy makers who continued the colonial British policy of using Kuki mercenaries like the British did to achieve their aspirations. The case of the Kuki SoO militants is a clear example.

Second group is the intellectuals providing ideological support to sustain the British legacy. They manufacture fabricated truths in the name of academic exercise. The Anglo-Kuki War narrative, claim of Kukis as war heroes as soldiers of the Indian National Army are few cases in point. There was never a Anglo-Kuki War. In fact, it was random skirmishes against war labour recruitment during World War I by the colonial British. Using these false claims of waging war against the British, they get benefits from Indian Government as Indian freedom fighters. Furthermore, Kuki scholars insist that the boundary of Manipur is only 700 square miles and as a nation inhabiting the hill areas they were never under the suzerainty of the Manipur kings. Contradictory enough, they also claim that they are not foreigners but one of the indigenous people of Manipur.

The third elite are the Myanmar origin Kuki immigrants occupying sensitive high positions of Indian government offices. They sustain uninterrupted entry of illegal Kuki migrants into Manipur. Both these are threat to national security of India. After getting forged identity papers, they thrive with the benefits of Indian reservation policy. In passing times, they have become a powerful influential group who establishes militant groups, use illegal migrants for poppy cultivation and narco-terrorism. They use the blood money to buy off land from poor Meiteis across the state. Therefore, the need arise to ascertain the true identity of these people during the recruitment process in Indian government services.

Present Crisis: Violence to Claim a Definite Area of Land

These factors have strengthened the imagination of a Kuki nationhood that needs a definite territory to forge an independent Kuki country. Several Kuki SoO outfits use the words “homeland” in this context. As such, the Kukis are migratory in nature and do not have an ancestral land in Manipur or elsewhere. They were brought to Manipur by the British as porters and mercenaries only in mid-18^th century during the reign of Maharaja Nar Singh. Thus, they grab land of other communities or illegally encroach on RF & PF. They see an opportunity of grabbing land in Manipur to achieve their dream of a homeland as Myanmar and Bangladesh vehemently opposes the claim to the extent of expelling the militants from these countries.

Claim for an independent Kuki country includes territories in Myanmar (Chin Hills), Bangladesh (Chittagong tract) and India (Manipur and Assam). It is worth noting that two SoO militant groups like Zomi Revolutionary Organisation (ZRO) and its military wing the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) as well as the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and its military wing the Kuki National Army (KNA) have their origin in Myanmar.

Present SoO agreement has facilitated illegal poppy cultivation and drug manufacturing for revenue generation. This narco-terrorism has strengthened the Kuki SoO groups in leaps and bounds. The SoO arrangement has also strengthened them further giving them unlimited mobility and the opportunity to arm with sophisticated weapons. The present violent crisis, in the final analysis, is orchestrated by the Kuki SoO militants and their funded politicians-bureaucrats clique to have a definite area of land, which they can claim as their own. It has nothing to do with the demand of inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list of India.

Way Forward

• Restore normalcy and peace in Manipur immediately
• Immediate evacuation of all stranded people starting with Churachandpur
• Rehabilitate and return the refugees to their original places
• Prevent taking over of abandoned houses/land in both hills and valley by the dominat communities in each area
• Continue the drive to evict encroachers from RF&PF, wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands
• Continue “War on Drugs” with Union Government support
• Abrogate SoO with KNO/KNA and ZRO/ZRA as the Manipur Government has suggested
• Identify all the foreigners that entered Manipur after 1949
• Identify the roots/ancestral origin of recruited high ranking Kuki officials
• Strict control of social media to prevent spreading rumours and hatred
• Prevent biased reporting by politically motivated national and international media