Day after peace talks, Meitei family’s house burnt down in Manipur’s Jiribam

“We sent a combined team with the CRPF. There was some provocation but we have controlled the situation without further escalation. We are meeting to deliberate on how to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” said Jiribam SP M. Pradip Singh.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs), who are living in relief camps, react during a protest rally demanding their resettlement in their native places, in Imphal, Manipur, India. (Reuters)

On Thursday, leaders of nine civil society organisations from Jiribam representing Meitei and Hmar interests — as well as Thadou, Paitei and Mizo representatives — met at the CRPF Group Centre in Cachar in a meeting moderated by the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, the DIG CRPF of Jiribam, and the Commandants of the 39 Assam Rifles and 87 Battalion CRPF. Hmar, Thadou, Paitei and Mizo all come under the Zo umbrella, which are currently in conflict with the Meiteis in Manipur.

At the meeting, they agreed on three key resolutions. The first was for “both sides to make full efforts to bring normalcy and prevent incidents of firing and arson”. The second was to cooperate with security forces operating in the district. And the third key was for “controlled and coordinated movement”.

This was the second such meeting that had been held between representatives from both sides from Jiribam this year — the first meeting had been held on July 1, less than a month after tensions had erupted in Jiribam.

SP Pradip Singh said that the arson incident is being seen as a backlash against these developments.

“There is a section that does not want peace to come. The road ahead is challenging, we cannot be deterred. We will keep working towards it,” he said.

One day after the peace meeting, the central Hmar Inpui – apex body of the Hmar tribe – headquartered in Churachandpur – lashed out against its representatives in the Jiribam unit for participating in peace initiatives. The Jiribam units of bodies such as the Hmar Inpui, Hmar Students’ Association and the Hmar National Union have been participating in these meetings.

In a statement, the Hmar Inpui declared the Jiribam units’ initiatives “null and void” and dissolved the units in the district.

“Hmar Inpui is resolute in its stand to unite and strengthen the collective interests and movement for total separation of the Zohnathlak people from Manipur for all time to come…We shall never be a partner to a divisive coterie that design pieces and morsel of elusive peace that is thwarted to divide the great cause that we are collectively fighting for… Hmar Inpui stand resolute against the divisive communal game of Mr (chief minister) N. Biren Singh,” read their statement.

Jiribam is a small district with a mixed population: the largest ethnic groups are Bengali Muslims and Hindus, followed by Meiteis. Its population also includes Kuki-Zos, Nagas, Meitei Pangals, and tea tribes. Despite the violence that had gripped other parts of the state, Jiribam had remained relatively calm until June 6 this year.

Because of the recent tensions, Hmars and Kukis who resided in and around Jiribam town have fled to Cachar, while Meitiei families living close to the Hmar-majority hills in Borobekra subdivision are in relief camps in Jiribam.

A leader from a Hmar group in Jiribam said that the difficulties faced by their people displaced and living in Cachar has lent urgency to participate in the talks.

Jiribam is a small district with a mixed population: the largest ethnic groups are Bengali Muslims and Hindus, followed by Meiteis. (Reuters)

“We have been here in Cachar for more than two months now. We are in an economically bad condition, children want to go to their schools, people want to resume their businesses. We have to find a way out and it has to be resolved at the table. We hope but there are still groups that have not joined the discussions, so it’s not guaranteed that there will not be any violence,” he said.

Jiribam is not just demographically but also geographically distinct. The state of Manipur is structured as a central Meitei-majority valley surrounded in all directions by hills, home to various Kuki-Zo, Naga and other tribes. Jiribam is located outside this geography is a plain area located at the Western-most extreme of the state, beyond the hills of Naga majority Tamenglong district and Hmar majority Pherzawl district, and contiguous with Assam’s Barak Valley.

The Hmar leader from Jiribam said that there was a fear that they would be “left out” in case of a final agreement between Kuki-Zo groups and the state and central governments.

“We are not in the hills. We want some concessions to the tribals in Jiribam to alleviate our conditions within the district but we are afraid that a separate administration might leave us behind,” he said.