Tezpur (Assam): On May 3, a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized by Naga and Kuki tribals in Manipur turned violent as they protested against the proposal to grant scheduled tribe status to the Meitei community, which constitutes a majority in the region. The state authorities suspended internet services, including mobile internet, and imposed Section 144 in the areas affected by the violence.
The death toll in the ethnic violence, as per the latest reports, has increased to 54, officials said. To tackle the situation, the army and paramilitary forces were deployed in Manipur, and they managed to rescue around 13,000 people.
Speaking on the continuing violence in Manipur, noted civil rights activist from the northeastern state, Irom Chanu Sharmila, while speaking to ETV Bharat, said, "The state of Manipur has been suffering from a complex demographic and ethnic problem and that has been continuing since 1947. The issue began with the Land Reformation Act and that has led to violence and suffering for the people”.
Blaming it on the people in power, Sharmila, also known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur", said, “People who are in power take decisions without consulting the people and taking their sentiments into account. That is why people are suffering and the state is burning. The leaders at the centre should come to Manipur and see the actual situation”.
Asked whether deploying security forces will help in normalising the situation, Sharmila said, “Sending more troops will not help in making the situation normal. The state is overcrowded with forces and deploying more will only aggravate the situation. The leaders should understand the sentiments of the people in the Hills and the people in the valley. They need to address the core issue. Unless the problems of the people are addressed, it is impossible to control the violence”.
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Appealing for overall peace in the state, Sharmila said, "It is important to note that the issue in Manipur is not limited to a single community, rather it affects people of all religious and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it is imperative that all individuals, regardless of their differences, come together and pray for peace in the state”.
“It is also important to note that Manipur is a multicultural state with Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, and as such, the issue needs to be sorted out democratically, taking into account the concerns of all communities. Looking down on any community or treating them differently will only exacerbate the situation,” Sharmila added.
When pointed out that she (Chanu) belongs to the Meitei community, the poet and the social worker strongly objected and said, “Here I represent no community. I am speaking as a responsible human being. Everyone needs to understand unless people come together and fight the causes of concern, states will continue to burn like this”.
