The relocation of about 50,000 people to safe places within their respective communities exposes collapse of the state structure

The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) today urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is visiting Manipur from today, to consider imposing President’s rule in the State in view of the failure to bring the ethnic violence under control following the imposition of Article 355 on 6 May 2023. The clashes including burning of the houses continue as on date with the killing of five persons including a policeman yesterday.

In the ethnic violence that began on 3 May 2023 following the protest of the Kuki tribes over the judgment of the High Court of Manipur on the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis, over 80 persons were killed while over 250 persons were injured. About 26,000 people have been internally displaced while another 50,000 people had to be relocated within their communities for safety.

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“The ongoing military operations alone are not enough to douse the flames of ethnic violence. What is required is inter-community dialogues at all levels to establish trust and peace but the State government has not been able to initiate any inter-community dialogue as on date in the last one month. It does not seem to be acceptable to initiate such a process. This makes the case for the imposition of the President’s rule necessary as the Central government is seen as the only neutral and acceptable authority.”- stated Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG.

It is reminiscent of 1947 partition

“The relocation of about 50,000 people to safe places within their respective communities only exposes the collapse of the State structure to ensure the right to life of its citizens. The relocation of the people is reminiscent of the relocation of people during the partition of India in 1947. Seventy five years after the partition, the government of India cannot make the current relocation of people a permanent one and ought to act decisively to ensure that people can return to their homes wherever they were prior to the start of the ethnic violence.”further stated Chakma.

“There are limits of combing operations by the army and other paramilitary forces. If the measures to control ethnic violence become akin to the decades long counter-insurgency operations in the State, it is a problem for all. The need of the hour is inter-community dialogues at all levels to establish peace and mutual trust.” stressed Chakma.