Sticking to a consistent narrative May 3, 2023 to date
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It is marathonesque. At least 65 percent of the commentaries carried in this column for over three years, that is since May 5, 2023, has centred around the ongoing clash between the Meiteis and Kukis and since April this year, the focus has been on the Naga-Kuki stand off. As stated many times here, Kuki as a community is central to both stories and no one knows how things will unfold in the coming days. Tension is still high between the Nagas and Kukis, with the fate of six abducted Naga men not yet known, though everything points to the high possibility of the said six men done to death. May 13 was the date on which the six Naga men were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village while they were on their way to Konsakhul, a Naga village. Making things worse is obviously the white lie issued by the Kuki Inpi, Manipur in asserting that all the abducted Naga people have been released and the said six Naga men are not in their custody. This is what has made the situation all that more dicey. On the other hand, the call to release the six Naga men has been getting more shrill by the day and it is more than obvious that the State Government just does not know what to do. Security forces, pressed into service are believed to have launched a search, and this is where the call given by some Naga organisations to instead pick up the chief of Leilon Vaiphei village gains credence. The writ of Kuki villages chiefs is well known and there is no reason not to believe that the chief of Leilon Vaiphei village would not have some idea on the identities of the abductors. This is where questions have been raised on whether the security personnel are really sincere on zeroing in on the whereabouts of the abducted people or not. The very fact that such a question has been raised cannot be good for the situation in Manipur and this is something which the top notch of the security forces must take note of. This is about the present, but as stated earlier here, ever since Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023, the focus of the Imphal based newspapers have been on the ethic clash. And one constant since then has been the expertise with which tales which seek to tell the victim story have been floated wit much dexterity. The attempt to paint the Meitei-Kuki clash as one along religious line and as one where the ‘poor tribals’ were at the receiving end of the brute ‘Hindu majority’ is a tale that was lapped up with more than a share of interest by many. Now one wonders how the Naga-Kuki stand off would be interpreted and what line would be taken to sell to the rest of the country. The Nagas too have now acknowledged the fabricated stories that have been churned out with so much dexterity, a reality which dates back to May 3, 2023.
Like everyone else caught in the state of conflict for over three years, the focus and energy of The Sangai Express have been on the ethnic clashes and it would help the people to acknowledge that the stand of this newspaper has been consistent. Trouble started when houses belonging to the Meiteis were first targeted and set on fire at Churachandpur and Torbung on May 3, 2023. Imphal retaliated late in the evening of May 3, 2023 and this was stressed with the recollection that it was on this day that a former Kuki MLA had visited the office of this newspaper on May 3, 2023 evening. It has also been the consistent stand of this newspaper that the ruling of the High Court of Manipur on the ST for Meiteis demand was never the real reason for staging the Tribal Solidarity March on the said date. The High Court of Manipur had merely asked the State Government to send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of the Meiteis to the Centre in the light of the ST for Meiteis demand. It is not the job of the Judiciary to decide which community fits the bill to be tagged an ST or not. If it was the ruling of the High Court then why did violence erupt only at Churachandpur and not at the Naga dominated districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, is the question that has been repeatedly raised many times in this column. For over three years, the stand of The Sangai Express has been consistent in its observation and interpretation of the violence. Manipur needs a consistent stand.
Like everyone else caught in the state of conflict for over three years, the focus and energy of The Sangai Express have been on the ethnic clashes and it would help the people to acknowledge that the stand of this newspaper has been consistent. Trouble started when houses belonging to the Meiteis were first targeted and set on fire at Churachandpur and Torbung on May 3, 2023. Imphal retaliated late in the evening of May 3, 2023 and this was stressed with the recollection that it was on this day that a former Kuki MLA had visited the office of this newspaper on May 3, 2023 evening. It has also been the consistent stand of this newspaper that the ruling of the High Court of Manipur on the ST for Meiteis demand was never the real reason for staging the Tribal Solidarity March on the said date. The High Court of Manipur had merely asked the State Government to send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of the Meiteis to the Centre in the light of the ST for Meiteis demand. It is not the job of the Judiciary to decide which community fits the bill to be tagged an ST or not. If it was the ruling of the High Court then why did violence erupt only at Churachandpur and not at the Naga dominated districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, is the question that has been repeatedly raised many times in this column. For over three years, the stand of The Sangai Express has been consistent in its observation and interpretation of the violence. Manipur needs a consistent stand.