State and Violence: A Perspective on the State of Manipur

          The situation of conflict between two communities in a state comprising of multi-communities wherein these communities have lived together as ‘neighbours’ is indeed painful, if I am to speak on behalf of the rational individuals of the communities of the state of Manipur. Undoubtedly, this would have been an impromptu response from them as well. With a long period of close association amongst the communities, the present manifest violence against one another between the Meitei and the Kuki Zo communities, was something that was not foreseen. The clarity on the causal factors, be it the immediate or the long standing factors, still needs to be perceived by both the communities. It cannot be a trivial outburst looking at the intensity and the duration of the violence. It has been six months now since the onset of the violence and the state is continuing to grapple with the conflict. 

         There is no doubt that the entire onus is on the present day government of the state which has failed miserably in preventing the violence when it first occurred and then failed again in controlling the spread of violence on a wider scale. Any sane person would understand this major loophole in the effective conduct of the state machinery. Here, I would like to analyse by bringing in the concept of ‘Governance’ within the present context of the state. As articulated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), one of the important characteristics of Good governance is ‘Rule of Law’ which implies fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. Within this ambit falls the full protection of human rights particularly those of the minorities. The Impartial enforcement of laws will require an independent judiciary and an incorruptible police force. The legitimacy of the government will depend on its responsiveness to the whole society. The assurance of maintaining the well being of all, particularly the most vulnerable sections, implies the equity and the inclusiveness features of Good governance. There are still a number of other features which define the concept of Good governance. My major concern is how has the state governmental machinery of Manipur fared according to these criteria for Good governance. If the government has fared badly, how will it reconsider the present governmental arrangement to meet the current challenges and shape a better future for the present and the coming generations. My other concern is, has the administrative state or the government gone too far in negating the underlying notions of Good governance which are cooperative if not consensual, tolerant and peacemaking. These notions oppose any authority that sets itself up as dominant and all encompassing. However, if it has not gone far enough, then the government has to be repositioned and strengthened. The opposite of a democratic government is a tyrannical form of government. As it is evident in world history, tyranny whatever its justification, supports evil and remains evil. It is a terrible curse on humanity, responsible for untold harm. There is no dearth in history of the accounts of the  untold negative outcomes of tyranny in the forms of conquest, wars, plunder, genocide, death camps, torture, inhumanity, abject discrimination,  corruption and injustice. The police force is an inherent part of the state machinery and this important part falling short of their duties is a sign of the inherent defect in the political system of the state. 

            If one has to look into the ideas pertaining to Structural Violence of Johan Galtung, these ideas can be applied to the present violent conflict in the state of Manipur. As the real danger is not so much the manifested violence that has shook the whole nation and beyond, but the long term underlying deeper issues pertaining to the socio-cultural, political and economic factors embedded within the larger society of the state. To be precise, one of the major issues confronting the state of Manipur is the contestation of power among the various ethnic communities through the assertion of their respective ethnic identity. There has been a strong pervasion of ethnic mobilisations deepening the sense of ethnic separations and self identities of the ethnic communities in the state for a long time. For instance, the tribals in the hills have long been demanding for the constitution of the Autonomous District Councils of Manipur under the Sixth Schedule. This demand was brought up as early as the time when the state attained its statehood in 1972. This prolonged demand has been kept in abeyance by the government in power from time to time. The pending issues such as this has to be adequately addressed like the others if peace has to achieved. Intermittent rewards or short term benefits to the masses grappling with poverty cannot bring the real objective of development and well being of all sections of the society in the long run. The political will of the state is inevitable. The effective implementation of schemes and programmes have to be carried out adequately impacting the whole region and the people by the concerned authorities. My concern again, is the genuine political commitment of the leaders of the state. Are they genuinely committed to carry out their constitutional duties? Or are they conducting themselves only to promote their selfish motives or interests?

                If  the violence in the state of Manipur is traced carefully, I cannot but quote Moser and Clark’s definition of Political Violence which is, “the commission of violent acts motivated by a desire, conscious or unconscious, to obtain or maintain political power.” The definition implies the acquisition of power through violent acts. That Political Violence aims at undermining the other in order to achieve hegemony over a region, state or a group. This takes place due to many political, economic, societal, community and demographic factors. Undoubtedly, the notion of legitimate political authority of the state has come in for a serious debate within the context of the ongoing conflict in the state of Manipur.

Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. Currently, the Degree of Thought Column is managed by the Department of Mass Communication, and the editorial team are K.C. Gabriela, Asst. Professor; Dr. Maria Lalmuankimi, Asst. Professor; and Rinsit Sareo, Asst. Manager, IT, Media & Communications.

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