Manipur was in the news recently due to blockade of the only two highways NH 39 and NH 53 which is the lifeline to the State connecting to rest of the country! The blockades of the Kukis were for 20 days and the blockade of the United Naga Council (UNC) was for 100 days. Blockades have always lead to acute shortage of essential commodities, rise in price of food, medicines, fuel etc., and the poor always face the brunt of such protests and political action. In any blockade such as this the hoarders and black marketers have a field day and it is an organized racket. The merchant class thrives on blockades!
Nobody wants to go hungry or nobody wants prices of commodities to go up. Even those who are causing blockades do not want to suffer the consequences of such blockades. Blockades have become political instrument for bargaining either towards resolution of a political issue or to wrest demands from the Government! Some people have claimed that Blockades have become a way of life for the people in Manipur. Yes, it may have become a way of life for some people especially the hoarders and black marketers on one hand on the other for those who are leading the political movements who are pushed to the corner by the ruling government and do not see any other effective options of protests to get the attention of the Government. Blockades for longer periods of time create scarcity, price rise, hoarding and black marketing. Etc., and affects the life of the people.
Blockades seem to have become effective ways of getting the attention of the Government when the governments do not respond to the people’s demands or their cry is met with deafening silence. Blockades are symptoms of a deeper malady of the lack of political will of the government to deal with the real issues of people! If the real issues of a people are seen to be in contradiction to the vested interest of the ruling class in the state then how one can expect any positive response at all!
Unfortunately, blockades are looked at by outsiders predominantly from a humanitarian angle because of the hardships it causes to ordinary people, the sick and the vulnerable! In any given conflict situation such as it exists in Manipur, political and humanitarian fall outs become two sides of the same coin. But, mostly during the blockades the ruling Government at the State, the Centre and the Media conveniently use the humanitarian fall out to mobilize public support and the real causes of blockades are not highlighted! Those who cause the Blockades have always become ‘villains’, ‘criminals’, ‘terrorists’ and anti nationals etc. But we need to look at this Blockade from a political perspective too.
The present state of Manipur is bounded by Nagaland in the North, Assam on the West, Mizoram on the South and Myanmar on the South and East. It is one of the smallest states of India, having a total area of 22,129 sq km. Except for the narrow central valley, the rest of Manipur is hilly. Of the total population of 2.7 million, about 67.5.% lives in the valley,and the rest in Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Chandel Districts in the hills. Kuki tribes are one of the 36 tribes inhabiting the Manipur state. Kuki’s affiliated to the Sadar Hill district hood Demand Committee blocked the National Highway, NH 53 and NH 39 and pressed for the demand for a Kuki majority district to be carved out of the portion of a larger district of Senapati which is one of the five Naga dominated districts. Manipur State Government appears to have worsened the ethnic tensions by getting the Sadar Hill district hood Demand Committee to withdraw the agitation through blockade with the return assurance that the demand for a separate Kuki district would be met.
The Nagas fear that such separation would be a prelude to denying them power in the whole of the district especially at a time when the Nagas have been negotiating with the Government of India on a settlement in which the political status of the Naga-dominated areas, including the present Nagaland, and the areas dominated by them in Manipur should become part of the larger administrative unit where all Nagas can co inhabit. They have left no one in doubt that they envisage it as a largely autonomous, self governing tribal conclave so that their distinct tradition, their belief system, cultural practices can be protected. The United Naga Council (UNC) for all intent and purposes has been spear heading a movement to realize this dream. The imposition of blockade by Nagas would have to be located in this context.
However, what is worrying is the fact that there seems to be no discussion and debate among Nagas in Nagaland or other parts or among others on what is happening in the South! How is this demand of the Kukis perceived by the Nagas especially in this context of the larger negotiations that are taking place between the Government of India and the Naga leadership?
There is a suspicion among the Nagas that this demand of Kukis and the blockade has been encouraged by the Manipur State which is governed by the majority Meities who follow a practice of exclusive politics as a part of the design to undermine the ongoing negotiation of the Nagas with the Govt. of India! It may be true or it may not be true but how do Nagas look at this demand of the Kukis? Nagas could have prevented this situation by coming out with a policy statement as to the place of minorities in Naga administered areas. The Nagas could have initiated a process of dialogue with all the minority communities who may be living in areas which are being negotiated to be part of a settlement. The demand and the blockade of the Kukis is a clear indication of their aspiration. Similarly of other minorities who may be living areas where Nagas are in majority. One can not wish away the minorities in our midst! They are all there to stay! Nagas will have to come out with a realistic, futuristic and a humane policy about Non Naga who live amongst them. You can not accuse Meites to be practicing an exclusivist policy while you yourself are also exclusivist! Would there be a just, humane and inclusive policy for minorities in new Naga administered area?
Nobody wants to go hungry or nobody wants prices of commodities to go up. Even those who are causing blockades do not want to suffer the consequences of such blockades. Blockades have become political instrument for bargaining either towards resolution of a political issue or to wrest demands from the Government! Some people have claimed that Blockades have become a way of life for the people in Manipur. Yes, it may have become a way of life for some people especially the hoarders and black marketers on one hand on the other for those who are leading the political movements who are pushed to the corner by the ruling government and do not see any other effective options of protests to get the attention of the Government. Blockades for longer periods of time create scarcity, price rise, hoarding and black marketing. Etc., and affects the life of the people.
Blockades seem to have become effective ways of getting the attention of the Government when the governments do not respond to the people’s demands or their cry is met with deafening silence. Blockades are symptoms of a deeper malady of the lack of political will of the government to deal with the real issues of people! If the real issues of a people are seen to be in contradiction to the vested interest of the ruling class in the state then how one can expect any positive response at all!
Unfortunately, blockades are looked at by outsiders predominantly from a humanitarian angle because of the hardships it causes to ordinary people, the sick and the vulnerable! In any given conflict situation such as it exists in Manipur, political and humanitarian fall outs become two sides of the same coin. But, mostly during the blockades the ruling Government at the State, the Centre and the Media conveniently use the humanitarian fall out to mobilize public support and the real causes of blockades are not highlighted! Those who cause the Blockades have always become ‘villains’, ‘criminals’, ‘terrorists’ and anti nationals etc. But we need to look at this Blockade from a political perspective too.
The present state of Manipur is bounded by Nagaland in the North, Assam on the West, Mizoram on the South and Myanmar on the South and East. It is one of the smallest states of India, having a total area of 22,129 sq km. Except for the narrow central valley, the rest of Manipur is hilly. Of the total population of 2.7 million, about 67.5.% lives in the valley,and the rest in Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Chandel Districts in the hills. Kuki tribes are one of the 36 tribes inhabiting the Manipur state. Kuki’s affiliated to the Sadar Hill district hood Demand Committee blocked the National Highway, NH 53 and NH 39 and pressed for the demand for a Kuki majority district to be carved out of the portion of a larger district of Senapati which is one of the five Naga dominated districts. Manipur State Government appears to have worsened the ethnic tensions by getting the Sadar Hill district hood Demand Committee to withdraw the agitation through blockade with the return assurance that the demand for a separate Kuki district would be met.
The Nagas fear that such separation would be a prelude to denying them power in the whole of the district especially at a time when the Nagas have been negotiating with the Government of India on a settlement in which the political status of the Naga-dominated areas, including the present Nagaland, and the areas dominated by them in Manipur should become part of the larger administrative unit where all Nagas can co inhabit. They have left no one in doubt that they envisage it as a largely autonomous, self governing tribal conclave so that their distinct tradition, their belief system, cultural practices can be protected. The United Naga Council (UNC) for all intent and purposes has been spear heading a movement to realize this dream. The imposition of blockade by Nagas would have to be located in this context.
However, what is worrying is the fact that there seems to be no discussion and debate among Nagas in Nagaland or other parts or among others on what is happening in the South! How is this demand of the Kukis perceived by the Nagas especially in this context of the larger negotiations that are taking place between the Government of India and the Naga leadership?
There is a suspicion among the Nagas that this demand of Kukis and the blockade has been encouraged by the Manipur State which is governed by the majority Meities who follow a practice of exclusive politics as a part of the design to undermine the ongoing negotiation of the Nagas with the Govt. of India! It may be true or it may not be true but how do Nagas look at this demand of the Kukis? Nagas could have prevented this situation by coming out with a policy statement as to the place of minorities in Naga administered areas. The Nagas could have initiated a process of dialogue with all the minority communities who may be living in areas which are being negotiated to be part of a settlement. The demand and the blockade of the Kukis is a clear indication of their aspiration. Similarly of other minorities who may be living areas where Nagas are in majority. One can not wish away the minorities in our midst! They are all there to stay! Nagas will have to come out with a realistic, futuristic and a humane policy about Non Naga who live amongst them. You can not accuse Meites to be practicing an exclusivist policy while you yourself are also exclusivist! Would there be a just, humane and inclusive policy for minorities in new Naga administered area?
(E. Deenadayalan is General Secretary of The Other Media, Delhi)
