Rajkumar Meghen speaks one to one with Eastern Chronicle on the Manipur conflict
Biswadeep Gupta
Imphal : Sentiments and emotions are running very high among the masses, wherever I went around in the relief camps, villages they feel that they are left alone by the state and central govt. I believe governments have not done much. States role is to protect the lives and property of the citizen, said Rajkumar Meghen, former Chairman of United National Liberation Front in Imphal while giving an exclusive interview to KRC TIMES recently on the conflict of Manipur.
This conflict in Manipur is part of sectarian politics and the victims happen to be the common people always. In Churachandpur, Morbung, Moreh, unarmed common people lost their near and dear ones, business establishment, and homes, and naturally the younger victims wants revenge and go back to their own lands. But victims who cannot go and resettle as nothing is left there, their homes have been bulldozed, so they should be resettled to earn a living, send their kids to go to school, said Meghen.
On the exodus of Kuki from the Imphal valley due to the ethnic conflict that has taken the state of Manipur to turmoil, Meghen remarked that ‘It will take time. Human emotions and sentiments take time to settle, it is not a mechanical functioning, a natural process of healing is required from a very humane perspective. And you need sincere efforts to address their grievances particularly since they (Kukis) have been here for some time, that feeling is lacking’.
On the ten Kuki MLAs who revolted against their own party and demanded separate administrative setup within Manipur Meghen strongly stated that these MLAs have done a very big mistake because, from India’s constitutional viewpoints, they could have been booked for violating the constitution by attempting to break up a state which is what they did in writing, isn’t it, he questioned.
Meghen said that the fault line of this conflict in Manipur begins with the illegal immigrants from Myanmar, though Kuki migration began in the 18th century and then the British brought them for their administrative purpose. But it is after 1947, Kukis started to cross into International border into Manipur. The massive influx of Myanmarese Kukis began in the late 1990s, from that time till now we have about 1600 unregistered Kuki villages which is quite a big number. In the 2011 census, the Kuki-dominated area indicated an increase of population by 35%, which created a demographic imbalance and sent out an alarming situation to other communities.
Narco-terrorism is the manifestation of politics and not the real issue Meghen believes. The real issue lies in the fact that across the international border, the Kuki-chin community is illegally migrating into Manipur, and either Govt. of India or the State Govt. is responsible to check immigration. It was simply overlooked or indifferent or for a purpose. He questioned on the tripartite agreement of Suspension of Operation was signed in 2008 and still going on, Meghen questioned and said that it is for a purpose.
On the solution to the conflict, Meghen stated that both sides need to do soul searching to ease the situation and particularly Kukis have to realise that there exists an international border. ‘We need to understand together the objective reality that there is the existence of an International border’ he echoed. He further said ‘even though people across the border are our brothers but without a valid document how can one come across the border’?
He also believes that the process of biometrics that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has promised can solve 40 per but Government needs to win the hearts and minds of the people. Meghen also advocated that the states need to relook at the federal structure and that more power should be there with the states.
