It is said that time is the best healer. People of Manipur have been waiting far too long for that moment when they can put their grief behind them and become part of the healing process that the Centre has been talking of. Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh issued an apology on New Year’s Eve, asking people of Manipur to participate in the healing process and forget their grievances. The apology coming nineteen months later has set off speculation on what went behind this decision.
In the immediate context, it can be said that there is pressure from the Centre for the Manipur government to bridge the divide between the two communities in the Valley and the Hill districts. Former home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. who has been appointed the new governor of Manipur, is arriving in Imphal tomorrow.
Bhalla's appointment has given rise to hope that there will be peace and resolution soon. He is expected to take oath in the next few days.
During Bhalla’s tenure as home secretary, the Union home ministry has closely been watching the Manipur situation and sending boots on the ground, trying to bridge the divide through peace talks between the two warring communities and also trying to impress upon the Biren Singh government that there is a need for a peaceful resolution immediately.
In this context, Biren Singh’s apology is important as it sends a clear message that the government is willing to move beyond a dominant security approach in handling the Manipur crisis to a governance model which is more inclusive and participatory.
After the apology, it is going to be a litmus test for the Biren Singh government on several counts. There are people who are living in displaced camps on both sides—in the valley and the Hills—in Manipur. These people who left their homes several months ago need to return and lead normal lives.
The second big challenge for the state government would be to disarm the civilian population. Almost 5,800 arms went missing since the violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. It has been several months and only 3,000 plus arms have been recovered, said a senior security official. This means that almost 2,000 arms are still floating on both sides. Security officials are not very hopeful of recovering all the arms, however, they do hope that the civilian population will be disarmed and they will be able to bring the law and order situation under control. There is also the challenge of the insurgent groups who have been active in Manipur during the crisis.
The former home secretary, who is now the governor of Manipur, is keenly aware that peace and law and order in the tiny northeastern state are crucial for the entire region. Plagued by the porous Indo-Myanmar border, the home ministry under Bhalla at that time had been taking several steps to control the free movement regime to stop the movement of insurgents on either side. It is now the responsibility of the governor who would also be spearheading efforts to help the state government control this problem.
This is not all. The Centre is also keenly aware that any strife in the northeastern state would particularly have an impact on the developmental works. Roads, building of bridges and other infrastructure works have taken a hit ever since violence hit Manipur.
In September last year, the state government declared the entire state of Manipur as a “disturbed area” except 19 districts. But by November, six more districts were included under the Disturbed Areas Act. The imposition of the Armed Force Special Powers Act by the Union home ministry by declaring these districts as disturbed has left the population wondering whether they will always witness clashes, and movement of armed forces and not be able to lead normal lives.
It is now the responsibility of both the Central and state governments to live up to their promise of healing the population living under strife for the last 19 months. In the last nineteen months, the people of Manipur have been upset and angry. They have also blamed the chief minister for the violence and loss of lives witnessed in the state. Biren Singh’s apology is the first step. It is now time for the Centre and the state government to work together to bridge not just the physical divide between the people of Manipur but also ensure that there is a true melting of hearts.