Insurgency Threat in Manipur

In News

• The Defence Minister while addressing an election rally in Imphal West, called upon insurgency groups operating in Manipur to shun violence and come to the negotiating table. He said the Centre is ready to hold dialogue with them to bring lasting peace to the region.

Rise of insurgency in Manipur

• The emergence of insurgency in Manipur dates back to 1964 with the formation of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), which still remains one of the most formidable militant outfits.
• The rise of separatist insurgency in Manipur mainly attributed to perceived discontent over alleged “forced” merger of Manipur with the Union of India and the subsequent delay in granting it full-fledged statehood.
  • While the erstwhile Kingdom of Manipur was merged with India on October 15, 1949, it became a state only in 1972.
• Later years saw a slew of militant outfits being formed, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), among others.
  • These valley-based outfits have been demanding an independent Manipur.
• The Naga movement in neighbouring Nagaland spilled over into Manipur’s hill districts with the NSCN-IM controlling most of it while pressing for “Nagalim” (Greater Nagaland), which is perceived in the valley as a “threat” to Manipur’s “territorial integrity”.

Steps Taken by the Government

• Ceasefire Agreement:
  • The NSCN-IM entered a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India (GoI) in 1997, even as peace talks between them have still been continuing.
  • The Kuki outfits under two umbrella groups, the Kuki National Organization (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF), also signed the tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) pacts with the GoI and Manipur in 2008.
  • Major valley-based militant outfits (Meitei groups) such as the UNLF, PLA, KYKL etc. are yet to come to the negotiating table.
    • Many of their smaller outfits have, however, entered the SoO agreement with the state government, which has launched rehabilitation programmes for such groups.
• Imposement of AFSPA:
  • In 1980, the Centre declared the entire Manipur as a “disturbed area” and imposed the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to suppress the insurgency movement, which remains in force till date.

Issues/ Challenges

• Menace of insurgency: Manipur has been pushing for development from the front and that the menace of insurgency had been waning.
• The Naga movement in neighboring Nagaland spilled over into Manipur’s hill districts with the NSCN-IM controlling most of it while pressing for “Nagalim” (Greater Nagaland), which is perceived in the valley as a “threat” to Manipur’s “territorial integrity”.
• Manipur had been caught in a spiral of violence as various militant outfits carried out deadly attacks on security forces or engaged in factional clashes.
• While the hills account for nine-tenths of Manipur’s geographical area, they are sparsely populated, with most of the state’s population concentrated in the valley.
  • The Meitei community forms a majority in Imphal valley, while the surrounding hill districts are inhabited by Nagas and Kukis.
• Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA): In 1980, the Centre declared the entire Manipur as a “disturbed area” and imposed the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to suppress the insurgency movement, which remains in force till date.
• Ethnic clashes: In the early 1990s, the ethnic clashes between Nagas and Kukis led to the formation of several Kuki insurgent groups, which have now scaled down their demand from a separate Kuki state to a Territorial Council.
• The further continuance of insurgency led to the formation of smaller outfits like the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), People’s United Liberation Front (PULF) and other splinter groups.

Impact of insurgency activities in Northeast

• Internal displacement of population
  • The displacements of Hindus and Muslims of Bengali descent from and within Assam
  • The displacement of Adivasis (Tea Tribes) and Bodos within and from Western Assam
  • The displacement of Nagas, Kukis and Paites in Manipur. 
• A fear of psychosis and a great sense of insecurity became pervasive due to frequent cases of kidnapping, killing, threat and extortion; frequent violations of human rights take place at the hands of the insurgents as well as of the security forces.
• Failure to differentiate common law crimes from insurgency related crimes has serious consequences.
  • Criminal investigation and trial are short circuited.
  • Police resort to invocation of the National Security Act to detain suspects or to kill them in fake encounters.
• Education of children is frequently disrupted: There is a heavy exodus of school-going children from the region resulting in big outflow of funds from the region.
• Nexus between politicians and insurgents has made the election a farce.
  • Elected representatives cease to be representatives of the people and thus are not responsible and accountable to the electorates but answerable to the insurgents, who managed their winning.
  • Large portions of funds meant for development works are siphoned off and pocketed by insurgents.

Way Forward

• The Government is ready for dialogue with insurgency groups because all the problems vexing this region should be resolved, be it unemployment, poverty, among others.
• The political leadership and the bureaucracy have to step up their efforts to interact with the tribal leaders and bring about a consensus amongst all to bring about peace.
• The Assam Rifles and the Indian Army since independence have been working towards creating a peaceful environment for the civil government to function.
• Rampant corruption, lack of infrastructure, basic amenities as well as forces inimical to peace and tranquility in the region keep the flames burning to meet their ends. It needs to be taken care of. 

Source: IE