With or without barricades, partition already exists; Stricter vigilance necessary

At a press conference held at Manipur Police Headquarters, IK Muivah IGP said that all barricades set up in between Phougakchao Ikhai and Kangvai along Tiddim Road of Bishnupur district have been removed.

It may be recalled that on September 6, by defying the total curfew imposed by the District Magistrate, a large mob of Meiteis, under the aegis of COCOMI, a hardcore Meitei civil body, thronged security barricades and started to remove the barricades without respecting the buffer zone marked by the security forces. However, central security forces deployed in that area resisted firmly, and intense scuffles ensued between the two groups. The security personnel then resorted a little/minimum force to disperse the mob by firing tear gas shells, mock bombs, rubber bullets and even resorted to blank-fires. Over 80 attackers, mostly women, got injured during the violent incident.

COCOMI still insisted for the removal of the barricades between Phougakchao Ikhai and Kangvai, and planned another attempt on September 15 after they had failed twice before. However, a day before the attempted date, it seems the security forces have finally removed it all, seemingly as per instruction from N. Biren Singh.

Removal of all the security barricades erected may not bring any positive result to the already divided Meitei and Kuki communities. Whether putting barriers or not, it doesn't matter any more, for total physical and demographical partition has already been completed.

However, the central security forces have to ensure much more stricter vigilance in the area against the imminent threats posed to the Kuki people. Without putting barriers in place, quicker movement of the Meitei terrorists with the complicity of Meitei State security forces and Meira paibis for attacking and invading the Kuki ancestral territory could arise more easily.

Notably, uncontrolled mob violences of Meiteis have become a new normal in Imphal valley since the ethnic violence broke out on May 3. There has been a complete break down of 'law and order' in the valley with Meira Paibis (women torch-bearers) instigating the Meitei militias in attacking surrounding Kuki villages in the foothills. Banned terrorist outfits such as UNLF, PLA, KYKL, PREPAK, etc became active and were part of the mob from which gunshots are often fired on the central security forces and the Kuki people. Those terrorists with sophisticated weapons looted from police armouries, wearing police uniform, have become a constant challenge for the central forces. There have been several instances of uniformed armed men carrying automatic weapons, firing at security forces deployed in buffer zones, preceded by blockade and protest by Meira Paibis.

As per reports, Central security agencies have now warned about the possibility of terrorists mingling with crowds during any protests to stoke tensions in the restive strife-torn State of Manipur.