‘Shoot at sight’ orders as quota plan roils Manipur
Clashes first broke out on Wednesday in Churachandpur after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation matrix.
Guwahati: Manipur’s governor issued shoot-at-sight orders on Thursday and the government snapped all internet services as it struggled to quell ethnic violence sweeping the northeastern state that saw mobs torch houses, shops and religious places, and even attack a sitting lawmaker in the state capital.
Read here: 'Shoot-at-sight' order from govt in 'extreme cases' in violence-hit Manipur
Clashes first broke out on Wednesday in Churachandpur town after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods.
The violence didn’t abate till late on Thursday evening even as thousands of army and paramilitary personnel fanned across the state, marching through the deserted streets of the state’s violence-hit towns to restore peace, and evacuating at least 9,000 people.
The Indian army in statement late on Thursday said that the situation in the towns of Moreh and Kangpokpi was stable and had been brought under control.
“All efforts underway to restore normalcy in Imphal & Churachandpur. Precautionary build up of additional troops in Manipur to continue. Additional columns also re-deployed from Nagaland,” it said.
The Indian Air Force will airlift additional columns from Guwahati and Tezpur from Thursday, it added.
Chief minister N Biren Singh appealed for calm and blamed “prevailing misunderstandings” between two sections of society. “In this hour, I appeal to one and all to maintain peace and harmony in your respective areas. I ask you not to believe rumours and unverified messages,” he added.
Singh said vandalism and arson were reported from Imphal, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, and Moreh, and that lives were lost and property damaged, but refused to give concrete figures on fatalities and injuries.
But his words appeared to have little effect as violence mounted across the state, including in state capital Imphal, leading the government to snap all internet services in the state for five days and call in security reinforcements. It also appointed former Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) chief Kuldiep Singh as its security adviser.
“It seems like a war zone now,” said a tribal politician from Churachandpur, requesting anonymity
Officials said Union home minister Amit Shah was monitoring the situation and spoke to the CM over video conference in a call attended by senior officials.
As clashes intensified, governor Anusuiya Uikey issued strict orders to contain the violence. A copy of the order signed by commissioner (home) T Ranjit Singh directed district magistrates, subdivisional magistrates, executive magistrates, special executive magistrates to “issue shoot at sight orders in extreme cases whereby all forms of persuasion, warning, reasonable force etc. had been exhausted under provisions of law...and the situation could not be controlled”.
The crisis began on April 19, when the Manipur high court asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government to submit recommendations to the Union government to consider inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list. Meiteis comprise around 53% of the state’s population, are largely Hindus and live in the Imphal valley region.
Read here: Army, paramilitary forces deployed in violence-hit Manipur
The move sparked concerns among the tribal populations, which live in the hill districts and constitute about 40% of the state’s population. Manipur has 31% reservation for STs in jobs and education. On Wednesday, thousands of tribal people took out a solidarity march in the state’s 10 hill districts. In Churachandpur, miscreants set ablaze a portion of the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial, sparking clashes. Retaliatory attacks quickly spread to various parts of the state.
Throughout Thursday, visuals across Manipur showed protests turning violent, with vehicles, shops and homes burnt and damaged, and both sides claiming targeted attacks. In Imphal, Vungzagin Valte, a Kuki legislator from the Thanlon assembly seat, was returning to his residence after a meeting with CM Singh when his vehicle was attacked. The lawmaker was admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in a critical condition.
Personnel of the Army and the Assam Rifles conducted flag marches and aerial reconnaissance in the Khuga, Tampa, Khomaujanbba areas of Churachandpur and Mantripukhri, Lamphel, Koeirangi area of Imphal and Sugnu in Kakching districts. A total of 55 columns of the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles were deployed, with 14 more columns on stand-by.
Guwahati-based public relations officer (defence) Lt Col Mahender Rawat said that displaced people were sheltered in army premises and other state government facilities. “Flag marches are being conducted to keep the situation under control. Some of the violence was arrested by the morning,” he added.
The All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM), which led the protests and enforced a shutdown from Wednesday, denied allegations that protesters who participated in its solidarity march on Wednesday were involved in violence. “The solidarity march ended peacefully. But soon, after some people burned the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial gate in Churachandpur. That was when violence erupted,” said ATSUM president Paotinthang Lupheng.
He alleged that homes and churches of the tribal community were attacked in Imphal. “The situation is very volatile and requires the Union government’s intervention. ATSUM appeals to the state government to take steps to ease the tension and also request the tribal people to maintain peace,” Lupheng added.
One official in Nagaland said that at least six people from Churachandpur with bullet injuries were admitted to a private hospital in Kohima.
The politician from the tribal Kuki community from Churachandpur said that shops and other establishments in the district were closed and very few people were out on the streets. “There are videos and photos circulating of churches and houses of Kukis being burned in Imphal and some other areas. There are reports that houses of Meitei people in Churachandpur have also been targeted,” he added, requesting anonymity.
Yambem Laba, adviser to the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee in Manipur, said granting of ST status to Meiteis won’t affect the tribal communiteis. “I believe the HC order on ST status to Meiteis may not be the actual trigger for the protests and a land survey by the state government to evict people encroaching forest areas could be the actual issue angering some tribal groups,” he added.
Read here: Triggers of Manipur violence: Shrinking resources, old fault lines, court order
Political expert Pradip Phanjoubam said that the present situation emerged due to the state government’s failure to pre-empt the violence. “The government could have taken precautions when it started, but now it has spread all over Manipur. The high court order on ST status and the land survey conducted by state government both played a part in leading to the present situation. Propaganda and misinformation spread by different groups has also contributed and instead of remaining silent on the exact situation on the ground, the emphasis should be on disseminating the correct information,” he said.