More than a year since violence began in Manipur, 200 have been killed and hundreds injured. More than 60,000 have been displaced and are living in shelters. There have been several instances of rape, and attacks on homes, shops and places of worship. Locals and activists have alleged an abdication of responsibility by the government to protect lives and properties. Militarisation is at record levels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, has found the time to visit country after country but not Manipur. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.
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[00:00:02] Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter, I am Ashraf Anjinyam.
[00:00:05] More than a year after violence broke out in Manipur, the state continues to be a flashpoint.
[00:00:10] Peace remains a use of as tensions persist between the majority of may take a community and the minority cookie.
[00:00:16] Varningly, in the latest cycle of violence that began on September 1, there have been drone and rocket attacks, the first time
[00:00:22] the serial weapons have been used in the state.
[00:00:24] The clashes between the predominantly Christian cookie community and the mostly Hindu
[00:00:28] matey have resulted in several deaths and clashes with security forces.
[00:00:33] Several curfews and internet suspensions have been imposed.
[00:00:36] Many observers have said that the state government has failed to protect vulnerable communities
[00:00:39] or uphold the role of law.
[00:00:41] This is only led to the trust deficit between communities and with the government widening.
[00:00:46] Chief Minister N.B. Rainsing of the Pathya Chantapati of BJP has stuck to his party's divisive
[00:00:51] in the majority of the country.
[00:00:53] He claimed without offering evidence that the cookie are providing sanctuary to illegal migrants from Myanmar
[00:00:58] and engaging in drug trafficking and militancy.
[00:01:01] Meanwhile locals have accused the state government for providing patronage to mate a vigilante
[00:01:05] groups.
[00:01:06] As things stand, since May 2023 more than 200 have been killed and hundreds injured.
[00:01:11] More than 60,000 have been displaced from the homes and are living in shelters and shocking
[00:01:15] conditions.
[00:01:16] There have been several instances of rape and homes, shops and places of worship have been attacked.
[00:01:21] The victims have been the cookie largely.
[00:01:24] Why is the Indian government unable to find a solution to the ethnic strife?
[00:01:31] All Indians matter!
[00:01:36] The latest wave of violence began when suspected cookie militants attacked villages in West
[00:01:40] Himfile District with drones.
[00:01:42] On September 6, suspected cookie militants carried out rocket attacks in Bishnoport district
[00:01:47] on September 7, in Jeelebham district, six people were killed in gun violence between
[00:01:51] Maita and Cookie mobs.
[00:01:53] In Sikmai, a mob beat to the Tukuki man while armed Maita groups attacked a central
[00:01:57] reserve police force camp.
[00:01:59] The roots of the conflict lie in an April 2023 money poor high court ruling granting the majority
[00:02:04] Maita benefits including land ownership and protected areas and quotas and government jobs
[00:02:09] and college admissions.
[00:02:10] Tribal communities protested saying these benefits are normally reserved for tribal
[00:02:14] groups to correct historical social inequity.
[00:02:17] These communities, including the Kuki, live primarily in Hila areas where the Maita
[00:02:21] would now be allowed to purchase land.
[00:02:24] The protest turned violent on May 3, 2023 will clashes between the Maita and the
[00:02:28] Kuki.
[00:02:29] Human rights activists and others have alleged an abdication of responsibility by the government
[00:02:33] to protect lives and properties.
[00:02:35] It has also quite rightly been pointed out that Prime Minister Nain Modi has not bothered
[00:02:39] to visit the state or take a stand on it.
[00:02:41] As far as militarization goes, some estimates say they are between 60,000 and 70,000 troops
[00:02:46] now stationed in Manikur, yet the conflict raises on.
[00:02:50] Manikur is no stranger to conflict.
[00:02:52] The state became part of the Indian Union in 1949 and for decades witnessed ethnic violence
[00:02:56] and a separatist insurgency.
[00:02:59] The people have historically been caught in the pincer of armed groups and security forces
[00:03:02] both committing human rights abuses.
[00:03:05] It's a story of the failure of successive state and central governments.
[00:03:09] Historians and activists have often pointed out that there should have been policies
[00:03:12] focused on assimilation, the moment money pool joined India.
[00:03:15] Instead, what you've seen is a widening security presence and lack of sincere political
[00:03:19] dialogue.
[00:03:20] This is compounded by the lack of educational facilities and health care, few businesses
[00:03:24] and no security of life and property.
[00:03:27] Perhaps the most shocking aspect of it all is the political apathy of New Delhi.
[00:03:31] It's largely because of that that we are seeing the first signs of ethnic cleansing.
[00:03:35] The cookie of fleeing the infall valley and there are no mateic in cookie areas.
[00:03:40] Modi seems so decided that he will visit every country and region in the world except
[00:03:44] Manipur.
[00:03:45] Since the start of his third term on June 9, 2024, he has visited Italy, Russia, Austria,
[00:03:50] Poland, Ukraine, Singapore, the US and even Brunei.
[00:03:53] He scheduled to visit Laos, Samoa, Russia, Azerbaijan and Brazil.
[00:03:57] Home minister Amit Shamin, while over his many aspects of the governance of Manipur
[00:04:01] from the appointment of senior officers to the security forces.
[00:04:04] It is under his watch that the violence has escalated.
[00:04:08] Chief Minister Birin Singh and his cabinet are unable to even go around the infall valley.
[00:04:12] He's hated by the cookie while they made a thought he would ensure the security but that
[00:04:16] didn't happen.
[00:04:17] Whether as violence, there can be no governance and of course there are no peace talks with
[00:04:21] anyone.
[00:04:22] There's no arguing against the fact that Manipur is trapped in a web of mistrust.
[00:04:26] It was never an easy state to handle and now it has become even tougher.
[00:04:30] Blame it on the callousness of the Union and state governments both run by the BJP.
[00:04:34] He's not for nothing, that's it in groups are seeking.
[00:04:37] Saying there is a lack of a serious peace effort.
[00:04:40] All we have are calls for armed groups to come to the negotiating table.
[00:04:43] This is hardly a plan.
[00:04:45] What's needed is concrete steps to restore normal CNL long term roadmap to end ethnic tensions.
[00:04:50] How many such instances of ethnic strife would you see around the world where peace talks
[00:04:53] have not been held for over a year?
[00:04:55] It's up to the central government to put in place confidence building measures to bring
[00:04:59] the communities together.
[00:05:01] The government should take immediate measures to resolve disputes, investigate cases of abuse
[00:05:05] and punish those responsible.
[00:05:06] There's urgent need for a parcel of abuse including for sexual violence and to prosecute
[00:05:11] those responsible.
[00:05:12] Lower Norder is a state subject so the Beren Singh government must ensure the protection
[00:05:16] of all.
[00:05:17] Humanitarian aid is not making its way to the affected in the way it should be so local authorities
[00:05:21] need to remove hindrances and end Internet shutdowns.
[00:05:24] You can't have a situation with the rise to freedom of expression, association and peaceful
[00:05:28] assembly are suppressed.
[00:05:30] Security forces must be made to abide by the United Nations' basic principles under
[00:05:35] the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials.
[00:05:38] This means minimum use of force at all times.
[00:05:41] In case of violent assemblies, firearms may only be used when other less harmful means
[00:05:45] are not practical and even then to the minimum extent necessary.
[00:05:49] Money put threatens to turn into one of those regions of unending strife and it will
[00:05:53] not less urgent action is taken.