Author- Amrendra Nath, Law student, Sai Nath University, Ranchi
Introduction
Manipur is an Indian state in the Northeastern region of the country. Since the beginning, it had a very complex and chaotic history. Currently, It has been facing various issues that have led to unrest and chaos in society. This blog aims to explain the current situation that Manipur is going through, the factors which are responsible for the situation, and the historical complexity of Manipur, along with suggestions for potential solutions, and a conclusion.
What are the reasons behind this fire in Manipur?
Currently, the state of Manipur is burning and going through chaos and turmoil. This situation is the result of the historical complexity and uncertainty of the state due to which its residents are facing situations of civil war within the state. And, this situation is becoming more complex like a smouldering fire that is refusing to be extinguished. Let’s see what are the complements behind this fire :
The Fuel: The historical tension and uncertainty between the Ethnic groups in Manipur is one of the main reasons behind this situation and the activity of insurgent groups is acting like a catalyst in the burning of Manipur. In Manipur, there are various tribes and ethnic groups living among them the Meitheis, Kukis and Nagas are the most dominating tribal groups in Manipur. These tribal groups are fighting for domination power within the state. They are fighting for resources, social power and political representation since before the merger of Manipur in India. The failure of the government in giving these tribal groups their deserving rights and resources led to frequent clashes and uncertainty in the state.
The Spark: In Manipur, 90% of the land is the hilly area which is occupied by tribes of Kukis and Nagas which are only 34% of the state population while 10% of the land which is fertile plains that lands are occupied by Meithies who are almost 64% of the population. This uneven distribution of land led to land disputes within the communities of the states and Controversial Policies, tensions raise when a dispute over land ownership erupted between the Nagas and Kukis in the hill areas of Manipur. The spark was ignited when a controversial land policy was implemented, leading to protests and demonstrations across the state. The perceived discrimination and favouritism in land allocation further intensified ethnic tensions, creating a fertile ground for dissent and unrest.
The Blaze: The Meithei who are people of valley areas and are in the high population are facing employment and poverty issues but they are more educated, and more political representing whereas Kukis and Nagas are not very developed as compared to Meithei. For employment and more support from the government, the demanded status of STs against that Kukis marched a protest on which a group of Meithies people attacked which started all these.
Later, Kukis and Nagas joined each other against Meithis who are in high population and used to dominate the Assembly since the beginning.
Fuelling the Inferno: The government of Manipur started facing allegations of corruption and biases against the person of hilly areas. These allegations of biases fuelled the Inferno of struggle and chaos in Manipur.
The Smoke: Drug abuse increased in Manipur which resulted in increased criminal activities in the state. This result came from the middle of the situation which is a sign of red alarm for the government.
Solutions
The citizens of Manipur are suffering a lot within their home grounds. So, they are looking for a ray of hope which would stop this turmoil. Some factors which could help to stabilize the situation in Manipur are:
• Proper Governance: This long chaotic situation makes the citizens of Manipur lose faith in both state and Central Government. So, the government should act fair enough and give all groups a chance to raise their voice in the assembly.
• Economic Development: The economic development of the state led to the elimination of poverty. Poverty is always a strong reason behind every conflict in world history.
• Dialogue: Encouraging and peaceful statements from both sides could improve the situation. But, this would happen only if both parties want to establish peace together
• Legal Action: Legal action should be taken against a government that is looking biased and the people of both sides who are encouraging this violence.
• Elimination: The insurgent groups which are doing anti–national actions and damaging the nation’s property should be eliminated immediately.
Conclusion
So, we can say Manipur is burning and to stop this chaos Manipur need collective efforts of all the citizens along with the government to create a harmonious, prosperous and peaceful Manipur. The government and social leaders must be optimistic and should choose a solution for the well-being of every citizen. This would help Manipur march forward for a bright future for upcoming generations. And, also create some effective plans to prevent these types of conflicts within the state.