Manipur Shows Signs of Recovery After Ethnic Violence
Gradual Return to Normalcy in Manipur
Imphal, Dec 29: Following several months of intense ethnic conflict, Manipur is beginning to exhibit signs of a gradual return to normalcy after the implementation of President’s Rule nearly 11 months ago.
The northeastern state has been under President’s Rule since February 13, shortly after N Biren Singh stepped down as Chief Minister. Since that time, there have been no significant violent incidents reported, suggesting an improvement in law and order.
To foster peace and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Manipur on September 13, where he inaugurated 31 development initiatives valued at approximately Rs 8,500 crore.
From the Peace Ground in the tribal-dominated Churachandpur district, the Prime Minister laid the groundwork for 19 projects worth Rs 7,300 crore, emphasizing that peace is crucial for development.
He described the violence in Manipur as regrettable, especially given the state's rich history of combating injustice, and urged collective efforts to restore peace, prosperity, and development, highlighting that Manipur has experienced accelerated growth over the past 11 years.
Just three months after the Prime Minister's visit, President Droupadi Murmu made a two-day trip to Manipur on December 11 and 12.
During her visit, President Murmu participated in the 86th Nupi Lal Day commemoration in Imphal and laid foundation stones as well as inaugurated several development projects in both Imphal and the Naga tribal-inhabited Senapati district.
The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), representing the Kuki-Zo tribes, expressed their support for both the Prime Minister's and President's visits.
President Murmu also attended a polo exhibition match at the historic Imphal Polo Ground (Mapal Kangjeibung), recognized as one of the oldest polo grounds globally, highlighting the government's commitment to cultural heritage and regional development.
On December 12, she visited Senapati district, addressed a public gathering, and inaugurated various projects.
A notable development during President’s Rule has been the recovery and surrender of a significant number of arms and ammunition.
As of March 6, around 1,000 looted and illegally held weapons, including advanced firearms, along with substantial amounts of ammunition, were returned to security forces following appeals from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
Officials estimate that over 6,000 firearms and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition were taken from police stations and outposts during the violence that erupted on May 3, 2023.
Since the imposition of President’s Rule, more than 3,000 firearms, primarily sophisticated ones, and over 22,000 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered or recovered by joint security forces.
Between June 14 and July 28 alone, over 870 firearms and 12,820 rounds of ammunition were retrieved from both valley and hill districts.
Joint teams comprising Manipur Police, Commando, Army, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have continued their search and counter-insurgency operations across both valley and mountainous regions.
A senior police official reported that the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and Manipur Police, in separate joint operations, have eradicated over 1,000 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in Manipur’s mountainous districts during November and December, effectively thwarting an attempt to produce opium worth several crores.
The illegal poppy cultivation was primarily destroyed in six mountainous districts of Manipur: Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Tengnoupal, and Senapati.
The police official noted that the 1,000 acres of destroyed illegal poppy cultivation had the potential to yield around 9,000 kg of opium, valued at several hundred crores of rupees.
Despite ongoing challenges, officials and political leaders concur that Manipur is gradually progressing towards stability, with ongoing efforts to restore peace, rebuild trust, and revive development in the violence-affected state.