Building Peace in Manipur: Centre’s Role in Stability

Context

The ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, which has persisted for 21 months, has created a volatile situation in the state. However, recent developments, including the surrender of weapons by militias, present a rare opportunity for the Centre to foster peace and stability. This article explores the challenges, recent progress, and steps required to capitalize on this moment for lasting peace.

Background of the Conflict

Ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities have existed in Manipur. Some of the major reasons that aggravated the conflict are:

• Looting of Arms: In this phase, among the lorry-full of arms, thousands of firearms, including assault rifles and carbines, were looted essentially from police stations or armories. The looted arms empowered these village defence groups and militias to confront in a more violent manner with their antagonists.
• Porous Borders: The state shares a border with Myanmar, which is a known centre of the arms smuggling trade. This has heavily aided the inflow of arms to the Department.
• The strained relations have been aggravated by long-held grievances of each community against the other. This perhaps also shows that this unrest has some roots deep in the history of Manipur. 

At present, much emphasis is under the imposition of the President’s rule in the state, which, to an extent, bears witness to the state of affairs. 

Recent Developments: A Positive Step

In a move that could be seen as a shot in the arm for the peace process, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has recently called for all communities to surrender looted and illegally held weapons. The response has been rather encouraging: 

• Weapons Surrendered: The radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol surrendered 246 weapons in Imphal West. More than 100 arms were surrendered in different parts of the state during the last week. 
• Earlier Initiatives: Attempts were made previously to solicit gun returns, with a drop box set up in June 2023 to aid those wishing to surrender their weapons. Progress had been slow in this regard, with just 1,200 of approximately 6,000 looted weapons being recovered by September 2024.

Thousands of weapons may still remain unaccounted for, but the recent surrenders constitute a significant step in the process toward disarmament.

Challenges to Peace

Despite these positive developments, several challenges remain:

1. Proliferation of Arms: The continued circulation of illegal weapons poses a significant threat to peace efforts.
2. Ethnic Polarization: Deep mistrust between communities makes reconciliation difficult.
3. Security Concerns: The porous border with Myanmar continues to facilitate arms smuggling.
4. Weak Governance: The inability of state institutions to prevent violence and enforce law and order has compounded the crisis.

Opportunities for the Centre

The window is sufficiently open now for peacebuilding. The Centre must grab the cutthroat opportunities:

1. Strengthening Disarmament Efforts

• • Intensify combing operations for recovering remaining looted weapons.
  • Offer incentives for voluntary surrender of arms.
  • Establish mechanisms for monitoring and controlling arms smuggling along the Myanmar border.

2. Building Dialogue and Reconciliation

• • Facilitate structured dialogues between Meitei and Kuki leadership on grievances.
  • Engage civil society organizations for building trust among communities.
  • Promote initiatives between communities to foster understanding and cooperation by working together.

3. Improving Security Measures

• • Add additional forces for law and order maintenance.
  • Strengthen border management to prevent arms smuggling.
  • Modernize local police forces so that they are better equipped to handle any future crises.

4. Real Causes

• • Development programs must target marginalized communities.
  • Land disputes, socio economic issues that stoke ethnic tensions have to be reported and resolved.
  • Constitute governance structures to include fair representation from all communities.

Lessons from Past Initiatives

Previous efforts at disarmament and peacebuilding offer valuable lessons:

• Community Involvement is Key: Initiatives like the drop box for weapon surrender demonstrate that involving local communities can yield results.
• Consistency Matters: Sporadic efforts are insufficient; sustained action is necessary to achieve long-term peace.
• Leadership Can Make a Difference: Apologies and reconciliatory gestures by leaders, such as former Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s New Year’s Eve apology in January 2025, can help de-escalate tensions.

Conclusion

Manipur stands at a crossroads. The recent surrender of weapons by militias offers hope for peace but also underscores the need for sustained efforts by the Centre and state authorities. By addressing security concerns, fostering dialogue, and tackling underlying socio-economic issues, this window of opportunity can be transformed into lasting stability. Failure to act decisively risks prolonging the cycle of violence and mistrust.

Source: The Indian Express

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