Has the Meiteis’ Dream of an Independent Manipur Came to an End?

On 29th November, 2023, the Home Minister of India, Shri Amit Shah, shared on his twitter post that the oldest insurgent group in Manipur, UNLF, had signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India. This was also enthusiastically shared and trumpeted by Biren Singh and a grand reception was held at Kangla Fort for the surrendered rebels. There was also news of people bursting fire-crackers in Imphal in celebration. Little did they know that their 60 years of independence movement just went up in smoke. Keeping aside the BJP Karyakartas who would have wanted to show that Biren had done something great, the common people among the Meiteis and sections of their intellectuals would have viewed it with mixed feelings. For one, thousands of Meiteis have lost their lives fighting for an independent Kangleipak. For them, it would be a betrayal to lay down their arms now.

Interestingly, the founders of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) even had a Kuki and a Naga in their top ranks. Much water has flowed down the Imphal River and Kukis and Meiteis have now become such staunch enemies that it is unlikely that they will ever live together again.

For the BJP leadership in Delhi, it would have been more about theatrics than substance as they wanted to show that the BJP could do what the Congress could not! The mainland Hindu vote-bank would not understand anyway that it was just one faction of one Meitei armed group amongst the many.

BJP might rejoice when one faction of UNLF signs a ceasefire.  Meanwhile the other faction of UNLF, PREPAK, PREPAK(Pro), PLA, KYKL, etc. must be watching, and either laughing at their ‘innocence ‘, naivety and media stunt, or some might even contemplate joining the ceasefire bandwagon given their precarious situation in Myanmar! However, it might not be easy to give up the idea of ‘independence’ for those who had laboured for it for the last many decades. Unlike politicians who are interested in protecting their ‘Musical Chairs’, there are those who had genuinely joined the independence movement believing in its ideals.

Had Meitei politicians not fallen into the trap of thinking that Manipur belongs only to them, the independence movement might have had some takers even in the hills. In fact, Kuki undergrounds were willing to even have a solution within Manipur. Alas! Things have gone too far now. Biren did not foresee that his hatred for the Kuki-Zo would not only harm the Kuki-Zo but also the Meiteis, his own people. The ethnic cleansing that started on 3rd May, 2023, has not only led to the death of hundreds of Meiteis and Kuki-Zo, it seems that the dream of Meiteis’ independent Kangleipak kingdom has also come to an end. Biren succeeded in ending what thousands of Meiteis had laid down their lives for! What they laboured for 60 years comes to an end fighting the Kukis. In a sense, it might be even shameful for the remaining Meitei secessionist groups to join the ceasefire because it will be considered that they are doing so only for fear of the Kuki-Zo! However, Biren has already ploughed the road open, and if the other groups refuse to join, chances of a civil war within the Meitei community cannot be ruled out.

It would also be interesting to watch how Delhi reacts if some in the Meitei community continue to fight for independence.  It would obviously go against BJP’s nationalist rhetoric, and they would be seen aiding a community that wants secession against a (Kuki) community that has always been loyal.

Lastly, coming to the role of the Arambai Tenggol,  the original Arambais of the 19th Century at least fought valiantly even though they could not protect the Meitei kings against Burmese invasion. The present day Arambais now ignorantly declare war on Kukis who had helped defend Manipur during that said Ava War. Today, the Arambai Tenggols could not stop their Chief Minister from nailing the final nail in a coffin of a gradually weakening independence movement that seeks to re-write the Merger Agreement. There would obviously be whisperers in the corridors of power in Imphal and market places that their 60 plus years of independence movement came to an end simply because an elected Chief Minister foolishly declared war on the Kukis. Biren ignominiously earned himself the badge of the man who brought down the curtains of the once powerful and glorious ‘Manipur kingdom restoration movement’.