The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) on Monday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to consider imposing President’s rule in Manipur in view of the failure of Chief Minister N Biren Singh led government in the State to bring the ethnic violence under control following the imposition of Article 355 on 6 May 2023.

The Union Minister will be arriving in Manipur for a three-day visit to take stock of the situation in the violence ridden northeastern state.

RRAG in a press statement mentioned that the clashes including burning of the houses continue, with the killing of five persons including a policeman on Sunday.

The group also pointed out that in the ethnic violence that begun on 3 May 2023 following the protest of the Kuki tribals over the judgment of the High Court of Manipur on the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis, over 80 persons were killed while over 250 persons were injured. About 26,000 people have been internally displaced while another 50,000 people had to be relocated within their communities for safety.

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Suhas Chakma, director of RRAG stated, “The ongoing military operations alone are not enough to douse the flames of ethnic violence. What requires is inter-community dialogues at all levels to establish trust and peace but the State government has not been able to initiate any inter-community dialogue as on date in the last one month. It does not seem to have acceptability to initiate such a process. This makes the case for the imposition of the President’s rule necessary as the Central government is seen as the only neutral and acceptable authority.”

“The relocation of about 50,000 people to safe places within their respective communities only exposes the collapse of the State structure to ensure the right to life of its citizens. The relocation of the people is reminiscent of the relocation of people during the partition of India in 1947. Seventy five years after the partition, the government of India cannot make the current relocation of people a permanent one and ought to act decisively to ensure that people can return to their homes wherever they were prior to the start of the ethnic violence,” he added.

Chakma further stressed, “There are limits of combing operations by the army and other para-military forces. If the measures to control ethnic violence become akin to the decades long counter-insurgency operations in the State, it abodes ill for all. The need of the hour is inter-community dialogues at all level to establish peace and mutual trust.”

Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) an independent think-tank based in New Delhi that conducts risks analysis to prevent violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms with specific focus on the threats to the rule of law and democracy. It provides early warnings on impending conflicts, and analysis of policies and programmes of the State and non-State actors contributing to proliferation or perpetuation of conflicts. Its special focus remains to change the current narrative on counter-terrorism.

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