Manipur is still burning and mainland India ignores it at its peril

An average Indian probably knows the results of the latest cricket match better than why there is a conflict going on in Manipur

- JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY

Nearly two years have passed since violence began in the picturesque state of Manipur. Yet, no solution to end the state of "civil war" between the hills and plains of this strategically located border state has been found.

The number of those who have died or have lost their limbs, or faced rape and torture or been driven out of their home and hearth, have by now possibly crossed into tens of thousands.

The rest of India wakes up to the plight of this state once in a while, when Manipur makes it to the headlines with fresh massacres unearthed once again. An average Indian probably knows of or understands the results of the latest cricket match or state elections far better than why there is a conflict going on in Manipur.

This "benign neglect" of the conflict by the national media, the majority of Indians, the mainstream political parties and the government of the day has made this "little war" a festering sore which has the potential to one day become an ugly tumour afflicting the rest of the nation.

The riots which began after protests against an attempt to give the majority Meiteis, a scheduled tribe status in May last year, soon became a raging ethnic conflict, where the accumulated grievances of both tribals from the hills and plains dwelling, largely Vaishnavite, Meiteis turned Manipur into literally a "war zone".

The army, with great difficulties, created buffer zones between areas dominated by the two warring communities and brought a semblance of peace to the state. However, in recent times, with both communities sensing that some kind of an arrangement may be wrought giving a degree of autonomy to districts on either side of the divide, attempts have been made to expand their respective areas of influence.