The Pursuit of Peace: What Peace is to the Kukis

In the past weeks we have heard leaders from both camps, CSOs and well-intended or ill-intended people echoing the word “peace” in almost all platforms of social communication. Renowned people and well-wishers of Manipur and Kuki ancestral lands have expressed the desire for peace and reconciliation. While peace is not an undesirable virtue nor is it not an undesirable situation to be in, most of us think we know the meaning of peace, but more often than not we are equally unaware of the fact that different people often have different understandings of this ‘seemingly simple word’. This is true for the current conflict in Manipur. Both the Kuki(Zo) and Meiteis wants peace. But each has a different definition of peace.

Negative Peace

To the Meiteis and the general masses and even to the government, both Union and state, they define peace as the ‘absence of war’ and ‘other forms of large-scale violent human conflict’. Scholars in the field of Peace and Conflict studies would term this as ‘Negative Peace’. It is peace defined in the narrowest sense. It confines peace to a situation where the goal is to maintain a general sense of calmness, free only from physical violence. Even if political bullying and constant discrimination and demonisation against a particular community prevail, it remains unmitigated as long as it does not lead to a law-and-order problem. The goal is “to keep things the way they are”. Thus, Negative Peace has a conservative goal, it seeks to maintain the status quo.  Eluding back to the present crisis in Manipur, the majority community has achieved one of their goals i.e. to chase the Kukis(Zo) away from the Imphal Valley. There are no Kukis(Zo) left in the valley. It is at this point in the conflict that they wish to maintain this status-quo. It benefits them. Hence the support and cry for peace albeit a ‘Negative’ one.

Positive Peace

However, the Kuki(Zo)’s definition of Peace is a more nuanced and progressive one. Termed as ‘Positive Peace’, it endorses not only the absence of war, but also includes harmony, justice, and equity. It includes, “…a state of security or order within a community provided for by law…”; “…freedom from outside disturbances and harassment.” It also implies, “…harmony in human relations: mutual concord and esteem.”

To achieve this Positive Peace, it has been reiterated time and again that Separate Administration is the only solution, and this political solution precedes peace. Taking cues from antiquity, we do not want to end up in a situation like the Roman Empire where it tried to create and maintain a form of Negative Peace wherein the different nationalities within the empire were socially and politically oppressed. Yes, there was absence of large-scale physical violence. But if history has proven anything, it is that oppressed people always revolt against their oppressors. And more often than not it always ends violently and the common people end up paying the highest price. Every conflict story whether you are from the West or East, North or South, the story of humanity in a nutshell was, is and always will be ‘the tragedy of the commons.’ Negative Peace always ends in violence.

It is only through Positive Peace that can we truly establish a long-lasting peace. This takes me back to our very own Indian national movement where the freedom fighters fought for our independence not only from British Raj but from prevailing forms of violence of oppression, discrimination and inequality.

The desire for Positive Peace stems from the Structural Violence perpetuated by the Meiteis towards the Kukis(Zo). For years, the Meitei-centric state government denied us of our important constitutional rights under Art. 371(C );  robbed us of our equitable economic well-being, not to mention the brazen violation of social and political equality. Utilising state institutions and Imphal-based media houses, they have successfully demonised the Kuki(Zo), robbing us of the luxury of personal fulfilment and self-worth. These are not physical or overt violence but psychological or covert in nature – or in other words, political and social bullying.  In a situation where these forms of violence remain unchecked and unabated, physical violence is always the result. The Arambai Tenggol, Imphal-based Manipur state forces and Meitei Leepun ultimately became the harbinger of death and turmoil in Manipur.

Peace from the Clutches of Meitei Tyranny

We the Kuki(Zo) are all for peace, but our definition is more nuanced, mature, desirable and durable. As long as Positive Peace is not achieved, it is the duty of every Tahchapa (Zopa)and Tahchanu (Zonu) to resist the Majoritarian-Integrationist policy spearheaded by N. Biren Singh and his radical Meitei terrorists. It is not out of hatred for the Meiteis but out of a sense of selfless duty to protect and defend our ancestral land from the clutches of Meitei tyranny. Leaders, individuals, and volunteers from both the warring groups who seek personal gain at this juncture may cause irreparable damage to the fragile socio-political arrangement in the Kuki(Zo) state and Manipur. One thing for sure is that the Kukis(Zo) will not destroy the 700sq.mile territorial integrity of Manipur.

If at all Meiteis want peace, they should not block the central armed forces from doing their duty. On the contrary, in a bizarre turn of event, a Meitei mob led by women successfully rescued “12 KYKL Cadre along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores” from the Indian Army on the 24th of June. KYKL is a terrorist organization, proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. In a recent incident, 13 Meitei militants from the PLA were again caught traversing the Kuki hills. Moreover, Meitei police commandos are being flown in to Moreh, a part of Kuki ancestral lands, from Imphal via helicopter. Added to this, Saikul area has been targeted numerous times by Meitei militants. It is feared that Meiteis will start attacking Kuki villages at the fringes during the auspicious Christmas period. We urge the central security forces to annihilate all Meitei militants who seek to kill the Kuki Indians. These Meitei militants are a domestic threat to the sovereignty and integrity of our beloved country. We, the Kukis have defended the Kuki hills before India got independence. Now, let us defend the Kuki ancestral lands together and in doing so, protect the territorial integrity of India from secessionist Kangleipak.

In conclusion, we the Kuki(Zo) have fought against the British Empire in 1917. Famously known as the “Anglo-Kuki War”, it took the Assam Rifles (Colonial) and the Burma Military Police to fully end the war in 1919. Prior to that as well, we the Zo ethnic groups never easily surrendered under the then mighty British. We raided their camps; waged many wars against them and vice versa to protect our freedom and our ancestral lands. We even joined Netaji’s INA to fight against the British. By defending our ancestral lands, we were effectively protecting the integrity of India. We have a rich history of standing up against tyrants. It is high time the government of India, political parties, activists, journalists, civil society organisations and most importantly, our fellow Indian citizens begin to acknowledge our sacrifices and commitment to the protection of the sovereignty and integrity of our country. And it is at this juncture we ask our fellow countrymen, women and others this important question – considering the contribution we made for the country, Is it an unreasonable proposition to demand a separate administration with complete financial autonomy for the Kuki community within India, adhering to the constitutional framework and separate from the Meitei community?  This can ensure Positive Peace. A long lasting one at that. After all, we are not demanding to secede away from India like some sections of the Meitei militants and others in Manipur.