Will Prof. Akoijam Strengthen the Idea of United Manipur? Unlikely

In the wake of Manipur ethnic violence, there emerges a simmering voice from the capital city in every media platform, that of Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, resonating in the hearts and minds of its audiences.

It is a voice of dissent against the popular discourse in Manipur and the Meitei society. However, it was not the first, and probably not the last, but this voice will remain for a while now, for it is the beginning of his transition from academia to the political discourse.

Voice of dissent

A few years before the onset of the present ethnic conflict in Manipur, there was widespread politically motivated hate speech against the Kukis in Manipur. Phanjoubam Chingkhei was one of many writers who stood up against it. His article on 26 October 2020 in the Imphal Times titled, “Increasing hate-speech against Manipur Kukis – An irresponsible dangerous approach” gained social media attention at times when discourse amongst the Meitei society was rampant labelling of the Kukis as “refugees, immigrants, Myanmarese, etc.”

Subsequently, on 4 April 2023, just before the ethnic violence erupted, he again wrote on the relationship between the communities in Manipur through oral histories. His article titled, “Legend of Kuki, Meiteis and Nagas common origin from one ancestor found in folktales” discusses folktales from the tribal groups that demonstrate close ethnic ties between the Kukis, Nagas, and Meiteis.

This idea of oneness through oral histories is contextually crucial, where identity politics is the main political instrument to garner support in or against any other community. For instance, despite the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh under the guise of development visited Ukhrul on 18 October 2023 to illustrate and facilitate the Meiteis and Nagas relationship. However, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) later clarified that the brotherhood was between Hundung village and Meiteis which did not represent the whole of Tangkhul Nagas or Nagas in general. Additionally, a research scholar from Manipur University wrote an article published in the Economic and Political Weekly on 20 January 2023 about the emergence of a majoritarian state in Manipur. His article titled, “Meitei Majoritarian Politics of the BJP in Manipur” could also be read as a stern warning to Manipur’s future direction. Besides all these cautions and red flags, it doesn’t seem to impact the larger Meitei society. The result is before us.

Besides scholars and writers, we can see many Meiteis who are not indoctrinated by this hatred propaganda propagated by the Biren Singh-led government and his militias (Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun). Several stories emerge out of Imphal where innocent Kukis who are stranded and left at the mercy of the Meitei mobs were rescued by them. And, I don’t see Akoijam among the academics who warns the public of the resulting hate speech or among the crowds who saved the Kukis at the expense of their lives. Yet, he became a prominent figure, and a voice of dissent representing all these figures in media and now in the political sphere.

The ascent of Akoijam and the Kukis’ discontent

Since the start of the Manipur crisis, Prof. Akoijam has gained credibility as a neutral voice on the Manipur ethnic conflict. As a brilliant orator with intellectual prowess, he understands the threat looming over the Meitei society (an example set out by Babloo Loitongbom and Brinda Thounoujam) and approached with caution in his political campaigns and speeches by endorsing their grievances while denouncing the prevalence of violence in their society.

He received a great deal of support which is evident in the 2024 Manipur Lok Sabha election result.

However, his emphasis regarding the Manipur crisis appears both compassionate and worrisome. Though he supports a united Manipur and is sympathetic to its citizens, he cannot remove his Meitei shoes. He over-emphasized the Manipur crisis as a mere Indian State’s “unwillingness” to stop the conflict and couldn’t look past the violence beyond the prism of a Meitei. He states, “I don’t hate them (the Kukis), but I am very angry with them” and blames the Kukis’ demand for a Separate Administration as the cause of the present ethnic conflict in Manipur.

It shows his resentment against the Kukis. Furthermore, his manoeuvring emphasis on the destruction of the Meitei settlement in Churachandpur while obscuring the pain of hundreds of innocent Kukis who were raped, molested, decapitated, burned alive, mob lynched in broad daylight in the open streets of Imphal and left in the open to decay is daunting. It is important to note that the Meiteis were safely guarded and transported to Imphal as Kuki women formed a human chain to protect them from the mob. On the other hand, Imphal became the Kukis’ Death Valley beside their homes set ablaze.

Undoubtedly, the new political wave in Manipur and amongst the Meiteis, in particular, sees a surge of peace and harmony rooted in the ideas and ideals of Bimol’s Manipur.

The Kukis, however, cannot envisage another dreadful bloodshed in the Imphal valley again. That is why the statement, “We cannot live together anymore. Let’s remain a peaceful neighbour” stems out.

Akoijam erred in assuming that this meant the Kukis couldn’t live with the Meiteis in the same country, a University, a city, or work at the same office, etc.

And, to say that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) must be returned and their right to live in peace with dignity must be upheld is nothing else than patronizing the Kukis’ suffering and cause.

Today, Professor Akoijam may be a game changer in Manipur’s political discourse and could’ve been an exemplary leader for all the communities in the state. As for the Kukis, he’s late over 186 dead bodies, 200 plus villages burned to ashes with 7000 plus houses and 360 plus churches while displacing 41,425 Kukis, besides the countless traumatic events that started with the radicalization of the Meitei society. The Kukis then see the Separate Administration as the only viable solution for their survival.

First published by East Mojo

The author is a Ph.D. Research Scholar, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi