Political Solution Pre-Requisite for Security of Kuki-Zo Amid Existential Threats from Tyranny of the Majority

Violent aggression across buffer zones against Kuki-Zo people seemed to subside as a result of pro-active steps taken by the central security forces including Army/Assam Rifles. However, uneasy calm prevails amid relentless persecution and existential threats of the minority tribes from the tyranny of the majority even after 17 months.

The state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom against the Kuki-Zo people that erupted on May 3 last year has claimed at least 200 precious lives and thousands injured. More than 200 villages and 7400 houses including Churches and Synagogues have been burnt down, and 41,435 people are internally displaced.

In the backdrop of such an unprecedented structural and institutional violence against the minority Kuki-Zo people, finding a political legitimacy for the persecuted citizens is a pre-requisite for the safety and security concerns of the highlanders.

In pursuit of solving the ongoing civil war in Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, had initiated a joint meeting of Manipur legislators including Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis on October 15, but ended up with separate exclusive meetings. Participants of the meetings had confirmed that there was no “Joint Sitting” between the MLAs of Kukis and Meiteis, thus exposing the deep schism that exists between the two warring communities.

In a statement, the Kuki-Zo representatives -  Haokholet Kipgen, Letpao Haokip, Ngursanglur Sanate, and Nemcha Kipgen - stated that they had met representatives of the Government of India and BJP leadership represented by Dr. Sambit Patra, North East Coordinator; Dr. Ajeet Gopchade, Manipur In-Charge; A.K. Mishra, North East Advisor, and Rajesh Kamble, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau, North East.

During the exclusive meeting, the Kuki-Zo
representatives affirmed that they were representing the voice of the people and will advocate solely for the people. They further asserted that a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo community was a prerequisite for any peace dialogue.

The Kuki-Zo MLAs also emphasized their full confidence in the leadership of the KNO-UPF and confirmed that they had no additional demands beyond those already presented by the KNO-UPF. They urged that political dialogue with the KNO-UPF leadership should resume at the earliest.

Additionally, the MLAs reaffirmed their stance and expressed reluctance to participate in any joint meetings with the Meitei and Naga MLAs. They emphasized any such meetings should only occur after thorough deliberation with the public.

As per news reports, after the meeting with the Kuki-Zo MLAs, which lasted for over two hours, the Government of India representatives had held a separate short meeting with the Meitei and Naga MLAs. During the meeting, MHA stressed the need to restore peace in the state and said a joint meeting will be held again soon.

The meeting also reportedly resolved to appeal to the people of the State belonging to all communities to shun the path of violence so that no more precious lives of innocent citizens are lost.

Perhaps, the ongoing Manipur crisis has been a fallout out of the long marginalisation of the hill people, particularly against the Kuki-Zos. The long sufferings of the Kukis at the hands of the majoritarian regimes need to be addressed politically before the Government of India engages with other issues that plague the region.

While the Union Home Ministry initiates a peace process, it has to take the political problems of the Kukis seriously. It is absolutely wrong to assume that the Kuki-Zo MLAs would sit together with their annihilators (the Meiteis). Peace exists when Meiteis stop attacking Kukis – not through forced dialogue with aggressors!

When the Kukis’ homes or villages are being burnt, innocent civilians being tortured, killed and women being raped, murdered and all Kuki populace had been ethnically cleansed from the Meiteis’ ancestral land, any form of peace talks, without justice and accountability, with the perpetrators of violence is unnecessary and uncalled for at this critical juncture.

The Government of India should note that the deep divide separating the Meiteis and the hill people of Manipur is well known, with roots extending back to the pre-independence era. Peaceful co-existence is no longer possible as total separation has been completed amid unprecedented population exchange arising out of the state-engineered selective violence. Therefore, solving the political problem is the only way forward and it should be taken with all seriousness by the Government of India.

Moreover, the demands and aspirations of the Kuki-Zo people have always been constitutional and legitimate. This ongoing conflict stems from decades of frustration, suffering, institutional discrimination, deprivation and unmet political solutions. Unfortunately, instead of adopting proactive measures to find a political solution, the Government of India still seems to continue relying on false narratives of the Meiteis and their communal state government.

For peace and normalcy to return, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) need to first focus on finding a political solution to this long-standing conflict.