Imphal/New Delhi:
Civil society organisations of the Meitei community and the indigenous distinct tribe Thadou in Manipur have extended support to the Centre’s recent decisions on bringing peace in the violence-hit state.
The Thadou Students’ Association (General Headquarters), or TSA (GHQ), in a statement on Monday termed the Centre’s order to ensure free movement of people on all roads in Manipur “a light at the end of the tunnel.”
“This long-awaited decision is a great relief for the Thadous of Manipur, who have been among the most affected yet silenced victims during the crisis. We look forward to its effective implementation as part of the broader roadmap for restoration,” the TSA (GHQ) said.
The Delhi Meitei Forum (DMF), an independent civil society group of the Meitei community living in the national capital, in a statement said it “extends heartfelt gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his commitment to restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur”, especially the order to ensure unrestricted travel across Manipur’s roads from March 8, ensuring safety and accessibility for all.
The DMF said it fully supports enhancing border security, continuing the crackdown on drugs, strategic positioning of central forces to maintain stability, firm action against those who instigate violence, support for displaced families, and finding ways to hold community dialogues.
“DMF fully supports these steps and remains committed to working towards a peaceful, united, and prosperous Manipur,” the DMF, which has been involved in relief work for nearly two years, said in the statement.
The TSA (GHQ) said Thadou tribe leaders in Manipur “have painstakingly made relentless efforts for peace and normalcy since the beginning of the tragic violence in Manipur.”
It said the Centre’s action plans against extortionists, and the policy to enhance border security are commendable.
“These measures will greatly contribute to the safety and stability of the region… The decision to dismantle the entire network involved in drug trafficking is truly commendable and should be supported by people of the state, irrespective of community or political affiliations. The drug menace has had severe socio-economic repercussions, with long-term effects on future generations,” the TSA (GHQ) said. “A drug-free Manipur is a necessary and welcome step toward building a prosperous and peaceful society at this critical juncture.”
“Restricted Access”: Kuki Group
Manipur’s Kangpokpi district-based Kuki group Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has said they will oppose the Centre’s recent measures such as the order to ensure free movement on roads “until a resolution that respects the community’s aspirations is reached”.
CoTU has cited eight points, the local media reported, as their main thrust i.e. unwavering struggle for a separate administration, restricted access to roads, fight for a separate administration to continue through democratic resistance, anyone aligning with the government or keeping personal interests first before collective cause to be labelled as a traitor, retraction of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s statement on the Kukis’ separate administration demand [as claimed by Arambai Tenggol after meeting the Governor], no arrests of Kuki-Zo volunteers, total resistance against forced peace, and final demand for a Union Territory.
Since the President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, many Kuki groups and leaders have been pointing at former Chief Minister N Biren and seeking justice and accountability before talking about peace.
READ | Did Manipur Chief Minister Stoke Violence? Supreme Court Seeks Government Lab Report
A petitioner from the Kuki tribes filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into a leaked audio tape in which a voice purportedly of the former chief minister was heard taking responsibility for the outbreak of violence. The hearing is scheduled later this month.
Thadou tribe leader T Michael Lamjathang Haokip, however, called CoTU’s list of points a smokescreen to ensure Manipur remains on the boil. Mr Haokip – whose house was set on fire twice – has been pushing back against what he alleges is a plan by “Kuki supremacists” to break up Manipur, and not a demand that arose out of the ethnic clashes that began in May 2023.
READ | ‘Remove Any Kuki Tribes From ST List’: Thadou Tribe Body Meets Manipur Governor
The Thadou leader has been asking the Manipur government to remove ‘Any Kuki Tribe’, which was added to the Scheduled Tribes list in 2003 under the then Congress government in Manipur, over his tribe’s allegations that anyone who is not part of a distinct tribe can become ‘Any Kuki Tribe’, which leaves it wide open to demographic engineering in the state that shares a porous border with Myanmar.
‘Justice Not One-Way Street’: Thadou Tribe Leader
“Justice and accountability is not a one-way street because both sides have innocent people as well as perpetrators. But there can be no bigger liar than the community that talks about justice only for themselves and conveniently ignores the crimes they have committed. It’s not just the community that CoTU represents that suffered. Thousands of Meitei families have also suffered. Some of the worst sufferers are from the Thadou tribe despite not having any connection whatsoever with the violence. Many of them living on surveyed land have lost their homes and history of their existence has been wiped out,” Mr Haokip said.
“Their militants pretending to be ‘volunteers’ have killed innocent Meiteis. Their militant leaders, politicians have given aggressive speeches long before May 2023. Everybody knows what CoTU is in Kangpokpi. Who will believe their argument that there can be no free movement or peace without getting what they want first? This proves they want violence, not talks. People can continue living peacefully and rebuild their lives while talks are happening. This is the civilised way followed across the world,” Mr Haokip said.
Dr Arambam Noni, associate professor at Imphal-based DM University, who at a side event of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in October 2024, flagged the growth of divisive forces that play the cards of myopic ethnicity leading to the undermining of historical and legal foundations of the state’s pluralistic demography and territoriality, also condemned CoTU’s eight-point demand.
“Peace first or solution can’t be a chicken and egg debate. Surrendering of arms is a hope. The writ of law in Imphal is felt. COTU’s denial of the right to move and terming those going against its call as ‘traitors’ is demonising the public sphere. Weaponizing ethnicity could prove very fatal,” Dr Noni said in a post on X.
READ | ‘Ethnocentric Homeland Demand Untenable, Obsolete’: Manipur Academics At UN Event
Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his council of ministers resigned on February 9, after which the Governor placed the assembly in suspended animation, or MLAs active but without powers, following the imposition of the President’s rule.
The violence in Manipur that began nearly two years ago has claimed over 250 lives and displaced over 50,000 people.
