Biren’s Hypothetical Claim on Achieving 90% Peace Has No Bearing on the “Two States” Status of Erstwhile Manipur

N. Biren Singh’s mystifying claim on achieving 90 percent peace in the State is nothing but an extraneous digression in the already divided state of communally charged erstwhile Manipur, where the two warring parties are far from mingling each other once again in the near future.

His concept of peace might be relevant in the Meitei dominated valley area so long as he can somehow control his cohorts from indulging in violent activities. In the Hill areas, the fact is that peaceful environment exists as long as the radical groups of Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun and valley-based terrorist outfits discontinue attacking the Kuki-Zo indigenous community.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 132nd Manipur Police Raising Day on October 19, the Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh had said that there would be total peace in the State and 90 percent already has been achieved. He also reportedly alleged that there were some elements who did not want to restore peace. Here, the chief architect of the ethnic violence must know that the insane Meitei populace, guided by his State machineries, are the ones who are still indulging in instigating genocidal action towards the peace loving Kuki-Zo population.

One must note that a shadow government is in existence in Kuki-Zo dominated areas and will continue to do so untill the Government of India officially grant or recognise the political demand of UT with legislative power. Biren Singh no longer has the authority to comment on the affairs of Kuki-Zo land.

It is a well known fact that the state of Manipur has been totally disintegrated- emotionally, demographically, socially and physically. Physical land separations have been created through buffer zones; the Meiteis defend their ancestral lands and Kuki-Zos defend theirs. In such deep divides, the only viable option left for the Government of India to bring permanent peace in the region is to formalise or recognise the legitimacy of political or economical separation of administration for the Kuki-Zo people under the Constitution of India.

As truly said by Rahul Gandhi, the status of Manipur is no longer a State but two States. Thus, for achieving everlasting peace between the two neighbouring States, the already separated entity must be accepted and formalised.

On returning or recovering of looted weapons, Biren Singh had said that some of the arms and ammunition looted from the state police have been returned, and many have been recovered during combing operations conducted by combined teams from both hills and valley districts. However, Biren did not provide facts and figures of the recovered weapons. As per the latest government report, only 1344 of the 6000 looted weapons were still recovered.

Biren Singh also spoke about the issue of drug abuse and said the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign was not against any individual or community, but to safeguard and protect the present and future generations. Before, campaigning ‘War on Drugs’, Biren must reintrospect and perform evidence-based investigations into his inner circles for achieving drugs-free society, rather than living in his world of rhetorics and hearsays.

As per reports, the drugs syndicate in Manipur is huge and is considered a whooping INR 70,000 crores as per some estimates which is double than the entire GDP of Manipur. The drug business (Value-wise) of Manipur mainly constitutes Chemical drugs (65-70%), Opioid drugs (15-20%) and Cannabis (5-10%). Such alarming figures cannot prosper without the help of politicians in the highest hieralchy and the agents from the valley-based terrorist outfits in Myanmar. Mentioned may be made that the former police officer, Th. Brinda had alleged the involvement of the Chief Minister himself in illegal drugs syndicate in the State.