'Manipur shares borders with Myanmar, China also nearby...': CM Biren Singh hints at external forces behind violence

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is facing the heat for ongoing tensions and violence in the state, on Saturday hinted at "a foreign hand" behind the conflict that has gripped the northern state since May 3. He said that external elements may have had a hand in the clashes and it seemed "pre-planned", the news agency ANI reported on Saturday.

"Manipur shares its borders with Myanmar. China is also nearby. As much as 398 km of our borders are porous and unguarded. There are security forces deployed on our frontiers, but even a robust and extensive security deployment can't cover such a vast area. However, going by what's happening, we can neither deny nor vehemently affirm...it seems pre-planned but the reason is not clear," the chief minister said.

Manipur has been on the edge since the first week of May when the violence broke out between two communities - Meitei and Kukis - over the reservation. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of the state's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

The violence started after the All-Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) organized a march against any possible move to include the Meiteis on the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list, which would have affected their share of reservation. Ever since the first clash broke out, hundreds have been killed so far, thousands have been displaced, shops have been gutted and houses of people from both communities have been burned. 

The chief minister said the Centre and the state government were making all efforts to restore peace to the state. He said he spoke with his "Kuki brothers and sisters" over the telephone earlier in the day, saying, "Let's forgive and forget".

There have been calls from a section of society to sack the chief minister. Earlier this week, it was reported that Singh was set to resign but he reversed the decision after hundreds of women blocked his roads and urged him to continue. "At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister," he said in a tweet on June 30.

Meanwhile, restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC have been relaxed in the Imphal West district. The restrictions were imposed on May 3 after clashes broke out in the state. The decision was taken due to considerable improvement in the law and order situation in the district. There is also a need to relax the restriction to allow people to purchase essential items, including medicines and food, a notification from the administration said.

In May, the members from the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo tribes held a protest at the Jantar Mantar, demanding the sacking of the chief minister and implementation of the President's rule in the state. Till May, the Kuki community members said more than 115 tribal villages, 4000 houses, and 222 churches had been desecrated and burnt. They claimed Kuki houses were burnt even when Home Minister Amit Shah was in the state on May 29-30.  

Timothy Chongthu, a representative of the Kuki Students Organisation Delhi, said the government should look at the long-standing demand of the tribal communities to have separate administration.

A Meitei representative said the violence in Imphal Valley, which the group dominates, was a "reaction". "People are angry and helpless," said Bobby Meetei, a representative of People’s Alliance for Peace and Progress Manipur. "The Kukis want to push the Meiteis to the Imphal valley so that they can demand a separate state," he claimed.  

(With inputs from PTI)