Manipur’s strained peace: Ham-handed approach is likely to cause more harm than good

Sanjiv Krishnan Sood

Government is trying to impose free movement on the state’s highways. However, that must be done diligently through a properly conceived plan of action
The death of a Kuki protester and injuries to several others on March 8, including security forces personnel, shattered four months of relative calm in Manipur. The incident occurred when the protesters resisted the government’s efforts to open the highway from Senapati to Imphal in Kangpokpi district, north of Imphal. The highway connects Manipur with the rest of India through Nagaland and is the lifeline of the state for the movement of goods and personnel to the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley. This, and other highways connecting Manipur to other states, have been blocked for the last 22 months since the ethnic violence started. The other highway that was sought to be opened was the one connecting Imphal to Churachandpur. The bus managed to go up to Kangvai — about 20 km from Churachandpur town — through the Meitei areas but did not go beyond to the Kuki areas.

The incident is confirmation of the fact that the situation in Manipur is far from normal, and the tensions between the two conflicting communities are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon by symbolic actions such as the resignation of N Biren Singh and the subsequent imposition of President’s Rule.