News Mania Desk/ Agnibeena Ghosh/19th June 2024
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to assess the “current status” of the ethnic conflict in Manipur and strategize the “way forward” without the presence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. Highlighting the necessity of a coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing strife, Shah stated that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will engage with both Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities “to bridge the ethnic divide as soon as possible.”
According to a source from the Manipur government, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s absence from the meeting is due to Kuldiep Singh, Security Adviser to the Manipur Government, being designated as the chairperson of the Unified Command responsible for security-related decisions in the state since May 30, 2023.
Shah affirmed the Government of India’s active support for strengthening the security situation in Manipur. This meeting follows recent violence in the Jiribam district, previously unaffected by ethnic strife. During the meeting, hundreds of vehicles carrying essential commodities to the Imphal valley were stranded along National Highway-37, which connects Assam to Manipur, due to a blockade by Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers in Jiribam. The blockade was a reaction to accusations that the Meitei community was deliberately preventing Kuki-Zo people from using NH-37, a vital route for Jiribam.
The MHA stated that Shah conducted a comprehensive review of the security situation and instructed officials to prevent further violence. He announced that central security force deployments would be increased and strategically placed to “restore peace and tranquility” in the state. Shah also mandated strict legal action against those responsible for the violence.
The meeting, which lasted an hour, focused on the “current security situation” with the government gathering inputs from multiple sources to inform future decisions. The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state has been plagued by ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo people and the majority Meitei community since May 3, 2023. The conflict has displaced over 50,000 people and resulted in at least 221 deaths. Over 4,500 weapons were looted from police armories, with only one-third recovered. Incidents of extortion and abduction have surged, particularly in Meitei-dominated valley areas. The Kuki-Zo people residing in hill districts have been advocating for a separate administration.
Attendees of the meeting included Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh; Director General of Police, Manipur, Rajiv Singh; Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi; Army Chief Manoj Pande; Army Chief-designate Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi; GOC, 3 Corps, Lt. Gen. H.S. Sahi; Assam Rifles DG, Lt. Gen. Pradeep Chandran Nair; Adviser (Northeast) A.K. Mishra; Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla; Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka, and others.
Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Manipur citizens. He reviewed the conditions in relief camps, particularly the availability of food, water, medicine, and other basic necessities. He instructed the Chief Secretary of Manipur to ensure proper health and education facilities for the displaced and to prioritize their rehabilitation.
In the wake of the Lok Sabha election results, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat called for peace in strife-torn Manipur. He noted, “The state had been peaceful for 10 years. It had appeared that gun culture had ended. However, who is thinking of dousing the flames that have erupted now? Peace has to be considered on a priority basis.”
As the situation continues to develop, the central and state governments are working together to restore stability and address the root causes of the ethnic conflict in Manipur.
