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Manipur CM explains how the state’s crisis is because of past sins of Congress: Here are details of how the violence took place

On Wednesday, 1st January, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh slammed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for accusing the BJP and PM Modi of the unrest in the state of Manipur. Ramesh in a post on X alleged that PM Modi deliberately avoided going to the state during the times of unrest and that the country could not simply understand the neglect. Responding to this, Singh asked the Congress party to stop playing politics over the issue and instead focus on resolving the state’s core issues.

In an X post, the Manipur Chief Minister said that it was the past actions of the Congress party that created the current turmoil in the state. He also highlighted that the former Home Minister had signed the SoO (Suspended Operations) Agreement with Myanmar-based militants and facilitated repeated settlement of Burmese refugees in the state of Manipur.

“Everyone, including yourself, is aware that Manipur is in turmoil today because of the past sins committed by the Congress, such as the repeated settlement of Burmese refugees in Manipur and the signing of the SoO Agreement with Myanmar-based militants in the state, spearheaded by P Chidambaram during his tenure as the Home Minister of India,” the Manipur CM wrote on X.

Reminding the history and the involvement of Congress in the Naga-Kuki clashes, Singh said that the clashes began in the year 1992 and continued at varying intensities for around five years (1992–1997). “This period marked one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in northeast India, deeply affecting relations between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur. Did Shri PV Narasimha Rao, who served as the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996 and was the President of the Indian National Congress during this time, come to Manipur to extend an apology? The Kuki-Paite clashes claimed 350 lives in the state. During most of the Kuki-Paite clashes (1997–1998), Shri IK Gujral was the Prime Minister of India. Did he visit Manipur and say sorry to the people?” he asked.

Jairam Ramesh on 31st December criticized PM Modi for not going to Manipur during the times of clashes in the year 2023. “Why can’t the Prime Minister go to Manipur and say the same thing there? He has deliberately avoided visiting the state since May 4th, 2023, even as he jets around the country and the world. The people of Manipur simply cannot understand this neglect,” he said.

This is after CM Biren Singh on the occasion of year-end apologized to the people of the state saying that whatever the state had been facing since May 2023 was unfortunate. “This entire year has been very unfortunate. I feel regret and I want to say sorry to the people of the state for what is happening till today, since last May 3. Many people lost their loved ones. Many people left their homes. I really feel regret. I would like to apologize,” he said.

“Now, I hope after seeing the last 3-4 months’ progress towards peace, I hope that with the New Year 2025, normalcy and peace will be restored in the state. I want to appeal to all the communities of the state that whatever happened has happened. We now have to forget past mistakes and have to start a new life,” he added stating that a peaceful Manipur and a prosperous state awaited the citizens of the state.

It is crucial to note that the conflict between the Kuki and the Naga community has been ongoing since the year 1990s as the Kukis began a movement to reclaim their Kukiland, a major part of the hill districts of Manipur that was being occupied by the Nagas. As per the reports, the conflict began after the Kukis started attacking the Nagas, burning their villages, killing and displacing hundreds of people from the Naga community.

In that year, constant warnings were issued to Kukis to stop the eviction of Nagas from the land, but to no avail. After this, the Nagas began attacking Kukis and in the next 3 years, more than 230 people belonging to the Kuki community were killed and tens of thousands of them were evicted from the claimed Naga areas.

The said clashes continued over the years until 1997 when novel clashes erupted between the Kuki and the Paitei (Zomis) community. The Kukis and the Paities belong to the same ethnic group but distinguish themselves on the basis of the language they speak. After being forcefully displaced from the Naga areas after the 1992 clashes, thousands of Thadou-speaking Kukis began settling in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, the homeland of Paities.

These new settlers backed by the Kuki militants began harassing Paites forcing them to displace from their own areas. Later Paities also formed a militant group to defend and protect their community. However, the tensions kept on rising after which the Kukis initiated the attack. The Kuki militant group attacked a Paite township called Saikul and killed 13 Paites in June 1997. Following this massive clashes broke out between the duo leaving around 15000 people dead and displaced.

The clashes reportedly came to an end after a ‘peace agreement’ was signed in October 1998 that led to the official formation of two different sects Kukis and Zomis.

It is further crucial to note that the first SoO (Suspended Operations) agreement was signed between the Kuki militants and the Indian Army in the year 2005 seeking the Kuki militants to ceasefire. Another tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement was signed between the Government of India, the Government of Manipur, and 25 Kuki militant organizations. The militant groups, as per the peace agreement were asked not to make use of arms and ammunition but the harassment of the civilians, and extortion bids continued to raise concerns overall. Notably, the agreement was signed amid the Congress rule and CM Singh claimed that neither of the Congress presidents during the 1992 and 1997 clashes had visited the state.

Singh indicated that Congress must reflect on the past sins that have led to the escalated chaotic situations in Manipur at present and stop blaming PM Modi or the government he led.

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