Manipur violence: Security alert over 'deep state', Golden Triangle drug cartel link

For many decades, the northeastern state, which shares a 398-long international border with Myanmar, has been the biggest casualty of the drug war involving drug cartels of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand in Southeast Asia's oldest narcotics supply route to Europe and North America. Indian security establishment is alarmed over the nexus among international drug mafia, northeast militants and deep state conspirators, writes Atonu Choudhurri

The ethnic unrest, which rattled Manipur last week and is giving jitters to the security establishment in New Delhi, has its genesis in the long-standing drug menace--a factor fanned by the drug mafia of the notorious Golden Triangle, a security official said.

For decades, the northeastern state, which shares a 398-long international border with Myanmar, has been the biggest casualty of the drug war involving drug cartels of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand in Southeast Asia's oldest narcotics supply route to Europe and North America. "There is something more sinister than what meets the eye. The old wound, which showed signs of healing after a drastic crackdown on the drug mafia and poppy cultivation is festering again. The situation is pretty alarming," said a counter-insurgency official based in the Northeast.

The repercussion of the simmering issue is felt across the country. On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave Home Minister Amit Shah a piece of her mind without taking his name. In a veiled attack on Shah, who is visiting West Bengal, Mamata said Shah should visit Manipur, which is witnessing unprecedented violence over the last few days, first and then think about his Bengal trip.

The ethnic skirmish has so far left 50 people dead and hundreds hospitalised besides displacing 23,000. The security official, who refused to be named, further said he fears that the violent trend can revive bloody days of insurgency in the restive region inhabited by Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas. He gave further details about the cascading impact of the unrest. "The unrest is not just what it appears from the surface. I see the hand of deep state players with roots in Myanmar which had been a breeding ground of more than 30 big or small insurgent groups having bases in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura. Manipur is not only a transit route of narcotics but also a hotbed of drug cartels remote controlled by bosses from Golden Triangle," he told ETV Bharat.

According to him, the Manipur government's 'War on Drugs' drive on poppy cultivation and handlers in cultivation hotbeds such as bordering Ukhrul, Kangpokpi, Kamjong, Churachandpur and Tengnouopal has unsettled the drug lords in Myanmar. The official said 'deep state conspirators' orchestrated the ethnic violence which reached a flashpoint on May 3 after the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) held a solidarity march in all districts opposing the recent Manipur High Court order, which had asked the Manipur State government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.

The latest and most severe crackdown on poppy cultivation in January resulted in the arrest of 703 people including five chiefs of hill villages and the destruction of 400 acres of poppy fields. The views of the security officers were echoed by a highly placed official, who cited figures to substantiate his claim. "Around 18,000 acres of illicit poppy were destroyed by officials between 2017 to 2022. You can imagine the gravity of the menace. Drug cartel members with allegiance to Myanmar rackets are moving with arms out in the open. Often innocent people become victims of their gang wars even in Imphal. Moreh, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi areas are notorious for such activities. You're seeing the unrest now but never know what it will be like if it snowballs further," said Suranjoy Singh. According to Suranjoy, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh has often termed the anti-drug drive as a people's movement but his efforts have often met with resistance in Kuki and Naga-dominated areas.

Manipur drug cartels old link with Golden Triangle drug mafia

Manipur has always been a natural and major transit route for the Golden Triangle drugs. Since the late 1970s, the state has had more than its fair share of drug addiction problems and related scourges such as HIV/AIDS infection, spread mainly from needle-sharing among heroin addicts. In the last few years, the problem has acquired another dimension. From just being a transit route and suffering its collateral damages, today a new culture of illegal poppy cultivation has arrived in a big way in its hills—Manipur has become a source and not just a route of this international drug trafficking network. The administrative lull because of extended nationwide Covid lockdowns starting March 2020, and equally Myanmar plunging back into chaos and lawlessness since the February 1, 2021 military coup, are probably additional factors accelerating Manipur’s own descent into the darkness of this netherworld.

This new poppy cultivation culture is now getting progressively more complicated. The challenge is hence no longer just about narcotics control, but also extensive and severe deforestation of hillsides, and intensive use of pesticides, weedicides and fertilisers contaminating springs and streams, and ultimately rivers and lakes.

Another issue is the faceoffs between forest administrators and villagers who are found to have encroached into previously uninhabited forested hillsides—declared as protected forests or reserved forests under the Indian Forest Act—often for the purpose of poppy cultivation. In this mushrooming multiplicity of related issues, the Biren Singh government’s “War on Drugs” has often met with opposition from tribal people from districts which border Myanmar.

Poppy cultivation, gang war & rebel hand

According to investigating agencies, poppy cultivation brings more money than other crops and the farmers are also supported by the drug mafia and the cross-border network of illegal drug traders. The government's war on drugs is getting grim. For the authorities, finding an effective mechanism to scientifically assess which crop or livelihood is suitable to the hills of the state or socially acceptable to the hill people is a key.

Again poppy is a means of cheap income for border villagers who are playing at the hands of infamous gangs. "Take the case of the Itocha gang, which was relatively unknown but its nexus with drug lords of not only Golden Triangle but handlers beyond the territory came to light after arrested members spilled beans of their murky world. At least 15 such cartels work at the instructions of their bosses from Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand and are operating in Manipur," the security official said.

As the war on drugs intensifies, the security agencies are up against the task of tracking the money route and blocking the cash inflow to Manipur. "The long-drawn war is not just against drug. Our prime lookout is to nip any attempt to revive insurgency again. After New Delhi insisted crackdown which were carried out on insurgent groups in Myanmar, leaders of northeast India's outlawed groups have turned into drug lords, who are minting big money through narcotics trade. It's not only an alternative source of income but the most viable means of livelihood for them. Getting them deported to India and dismantling their bases is the next big task for us," he signed off.