Escalating Cycle of Violence in Manipur

The dastardly attack by suspected Kuki militants using drones to drop bombs on civilian areas in Meitei-dominated valley districts is an ominous sign of extreme escalation in the ongoing clashes between armed groups of the two communities in Manipur. The prevailing situation calls for immediate and drastic measures by security forces to disarm the armed groups and restore peace in the trouble-torn state. Manipur police said that in an unprecedented attack in Koutruk in Imphal West district suspected Kuki militants deployed numerous Rocket Propelled Grenades using hi-tech drones “While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and the civilians marks a significant escalation,” states the Manipur police and adds that the involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out. One woman was killed and six others, including a minor daughter of the deceased and two police personnels were injured in the attack carried out on Monday. Similar bombs were dropped using drones on Tuesday too which left three more civilians injured in Chirang Maning area of the district which exposed the failure on the part of the security forces to thwart the attacks. Armed attack on unarmed civilian is a cowardly act of gross human rights violation and must be condemned by all and all culprits behind such heinous act must be brought to book and meted out stringent punishments.  Ethnic clashes have been gripping the state since May 3 last year and there is no sign of peace returning. Thousands of people displaced by mindless violence and clashes are still languishing in make-shift relief camps, but so-called leaders of warring groups are least bothered by the plight and ordeal of displaced people belonging to their own communities. Questions have been genuinely raised over the failure of more than 60,000-strong security forces besides Manipur state police forces to prevent flare up in the situation and protect lives and properties of unarmed civilians. The armed groups, militants as well as armed village volunteers, are using civilians as shields to carry out attacks, making it difficult for security forces to launch full-scale crackdown for the fear of collateral damage to innocent civilians. This explains why despite recovery of huge cache of weapons in both the hill and the valley districts by security forces, sizable number of illegal weapons, including those looted from police armouries during the peak of the clashes and those smuggled in continue to be circulation among cadres of militant outfits and village volunteers. The state having porous borders with Myanmar adds to the challenges of security forces in carryout counter-insurgency operations and operations aimed at curbing proliferation of illegal weapons. Foreign forces supplying illegal weapons to militants and other armed miscreants in the state to escalate the conflict situation cannot be ruled out. Every single recovery of weapon needs to be thoroughly investigated to trace the origin so that effective and strategic response can be articulated by the security forces to prevent proliferations of illegal arms. Allegation of involvement of cadres and use of weapons in possession of militant groups under ceasefire agreements in the ongoing clashes also needs to be investigated and take actions accordingly if found to be true. The central government holding sustained dialogue with all organisations in the hills and the valley areas to discuss their various demands is the only way out to diffuse tension. Efforts also must be made to facilitate dialogue between the warring groups of the two sides, if necessary, outside the state with the single agenda of giving peace a chance. Pressure must be mounted by peace-loving people belonging to both the communities on armed groups to stop violence, deposit all illegal arms and sit for talks with the government. Strong deployment of central security forces in all affected villages and urban areas is necessary to build confidence among displaced people to return to their villages. Leaders of armed groups must realise the futility of mindless violence and take measures to facilitate return of people from relief camps. Both the central and the state government adopting two-pronged-approach – intensified operations to seize all illegal weapons and facilitating dialogue with leaders on both sides with the help of civil society groups is crucial to make a breakthrough. Turbulent political situation in Myanmar and Bangladesh have sounded the caution against the possibility of anti-India forces exploiting violent ethnic clashes in Manipur to trigger more clashes in the Northeast region by proliferating small arms and narcotics. Use of weaponised drones and fresh escalation in clashes cannot be ignored as isolated or stray incidents. Coordinated action by central security forces and state police to isolate armed groups and seize all illegal weapons needs to be the topmost priority for restoration of peace in Manipur.