Manipur is still smoldering from the violence that took place a year ago. The past year brought a period of violence for Manipur, which this northeastern state had never even imagined. One year has passed since that aggressive period of violence. But the question is, how much has the ground situation in Manipur changed in this one year?
The situation has become normal on the streets of Imphal where curfew was imposed after 5 pm. It certainly seems that the people of Imphal have forgotten the wounds of the past one year in their daily struggle. Ranjit Kumar says that a year ago bullets were fired, curfews were imposed but now the situation has become better than before but violent clashes have started once again in some areas like Jiribam. Ranjit Singh says that everything was peaceful till the elections but as soon as the elections are over, the phase of violence is returning in some areas.
Many incidents have happened in the history of Manipur which has a population of about 37 lakhs. On May 3, 2023, following a court order, a war broke out between two communities living in the valley and the hills of Manipur which is not ending today. An unspoken border has been drawn between the Meitei dominated areas living in the entire valley including Imphal and the Kuki tribal dominated areas living in the hills around the valley.
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After the violence, the people of the Kuki tribal community were forced to leave their homes and land in the Hindu Meitei-dominated areas and flee, while the Hindus living in the Kuki-dominated areas left everything and either returned to the Imphal valley or were forced to leave the state and settle in other areas including Delhi.
Manipur’s social institutions and the Swaraj government are jointly running many such relief camps where lives are just passing by. Children, women and the elderly are bearing the burden of hardships in these relief camps with very minimal facilities.
Many children like Pari have been living with their families in this relief camp in Imphal East for a year. Pari’s family had been living in Moreh town near the Myanmar border for decades. The violence that started on May 3 reached Moreh town on May 10. Hundreds of Meitei Hindu families like Pari were forced to leave their homes and flee to the valley Imphal. He left home, courtyard, school and friends too, so Pari says that he misses home and feels like crying. He misses old friends too, but now he has made new friends here.
Pathetic condition of relief camps
Women forced to live in different rooms of the relief camp with nominal resources are worried about the future of their children and hence pay full attention to the education of their children even in adverse conditions.
After the violence broke out, the Meitei people living in Kuki dominated areas like Churachandpur do not know when they will return home. They get two meals a day at the government relief centre but there is no opportunity for them to earn a livelihood and employment. Some women are skilled artisans and local organizations have donated handlooms. The lives of the women entangled in the threads are running like clockwork every day. After sweating for hours in the humid heat, cloth ready to be sold in the market is ready. After two days of hard work, they get Rs 150 in the name of savings.
Somendra, who escaped to Imphal to save his life, says that the Kukis and Meiteis lived together as brothers for decades. But that brotherhood is no longer visible. Food is cooked on big stoves in the relief camps but the surrounding environment is disturbing. There is dirty water around where the stoves are lit. The recent floods in Manipur have made the condition of the relief camps hellish. Drinking water is supplied from small tankers from outside but for cooking and bathing, water is collected in a small pond, in which insects are seen floating.
Some women are bringing vegetables from the nearby market and running a shop in the camp so that the children can be given better food than the relief camp. Devika lives with her son in a small room in this relief camp. When the family migrated from Mori and came to the relief camp in Imphal, seven people lived in a room of 8/8. Some people have gone to the house of relatives. Devika’s relatives have provided her with candle making material to help her financially.
Devika said that in the last one year, we have faced the ruthless wrath of the weather. When the whole family used to live together in this small room, we had to stay covered with blankets even in the heat of June for privacy. The power goes off for hours. Our house was burnt down. We earn 70 rupees by making and selling a dozen candles.
People are worried about the future of their children
Among all these Meitei families, there is also a teacher. Baby used to live in Churachandpur. Her house also came under the grip of violence. She saved her life and reached Imphal and now she is teaching the children of this camp so that their future is not ruined.
While going from Imphal to Mor, Thaubal district comes. Thaubal district, which was once burning in the fire of violence, is now peaceful. This time the farmers are in their fields. In many districts of Manipur where the valley and mountains meet each other, last year the farmers were not going to the fields due to firing. Now the situation is becoming normal in some areas and greenery is also visible in the fields.
After the activation of central security forces, the situation has changed somewhat and farmers have returned to their fields. Local farmer Laisen Northam says that now the situation in Thaubal is better but in many other districts where the valley meets the mountains, the situation is worse for the farmers. The situation is also difficult but in some areas the situation has improved and farmers have returned to the fields for farming. Northam says that at present there is a need for the central government and the state government to work together to restore peace in Manipur.