Syed Ata Hasnain writes: In Manipur, Army’s leadership has experience and ability to do its job

The recent incident of women and children protesters blocking the army, which was shared on social media by the Spear Corps, was appreciated and criticised in equal measure. Field commanders must be trusted to know what they are doing

by Syed Ata Hasnain

India’s heart bleeds for the people of Manipur, a people we have all learnt to respect for their industriousness, zest for life and great contribution to Indian sports. I was in Imphal a year ago, visiting after 15 years. As I drove through the streets, I marvelled at the development which had taken place in the city. I cannot vouch for the other towns and rural areas but Imphal seemed to be flourishing. I have friends and batchmates from the state, from all communities, right from my days at the Indian Military Academy; great, loyal friends.

As soldiers, it breaks our hearts to see Manipur burning the way it is.

There is no need to go into the details of the background or the issues at stake today. Those are well known. It’s the degree of antagonism between the Meiteis and Kukis that should concern all of us because once such sentiments enter into a regional ethnic conflict, it becomes well-nigh impossible to restore sanity. I witnessed this in Rwanda in 1994 during the internal conflict between the Hutus and the Tutsis. In that conflict, the 90 per cent majority (Hutus) executed a massacre of genocidal proportions against the 10 per cent minority (Tutsis) but it was the latter who defeated the former in the internal military conflict that ensued. The Tutsis rule today. Yet, Hutu-Tutsi hatred is expected to come back to haunt Rwanda again and again in the future, as in the past. We cannot afford to allow the Meitei-Kuki relationship to deteriorate to such a level.