Mend Manipur, for India's sake

It's been more than a year now, and Manipur is yet to find peace. In May 2023, violence broke out between Kuki-Zo-Hmars and Meiteis. Fearing for their lives, members of the former community retreated to the hills, while Meiteis evacuated from the hill districts to the valley. The division between the two regions has only become more pronounced, with fresh violence breaking out in Jiribam in the state's western-most boundary earlier this month, forcing many to evacuate to neighbouring Assam. In the past year, more than 200 people have been killed and 60,000 displaced. Yet, there has been minimal political outreach by GoI, or political stakeholders from the northeast region, to mend the fractured relations. With a new government in Delhi, addressing the crisis in Manipur must be made top priority.

Ensuring social peace is essential for every Indian state, including - perhaps especially - those perceived as 'peripheral'. It's not only crucial for the state in question but also for the peace and stability of neighbouring states, and the 'union' of India. The Manipur crisis is leading to a spillover to neighbouring states. However, these states, burdened with their own socioeconomic challenges, are reluctant to accommodate them, the only exception being Mizoram. Apart from internal tensions, trouble in India's border states provides fertile ground for 'external interference'. Persisting with a de facto hands-off approach with Manipur can dilute its people's sense of belonging to the national mainstream.

Despite the ongoing tension, and possible disenchantment with the democratic process, Manipur's voter turnout in the Lok Sabha elections was an impressive 81.64%. It's now the Indian state's responsibility to keep its part of the democratic deal.