Manipur Orders Removal Of Bunkers, Communities Say No

A prevailing sense of mistrust and talk of "war" - two months after violence first broke out in Manipur, and amid a lull in violent incidents, the situation in the state is still far from normal. 

Exemplifying the mistrust are the numerous bunkers, built by the Meitei and Kuki communities, that dot districts along the borders of the hills and valleys. Members of both communities insist on holding on to the bunkers despite the government announcing their demolition on July 3.

Visuals of two bunkers, one in the valley in Imphal West district and another in the foothills in Kangpokpi district a few kilometres away, show men on alert with rifles pointed out, using binoculars to scan the surrounding area for danger.

While people from both communities who man these bunkers call themselves village defence volunteers and claim their only motive is self-defence, police say many from both sides have died in the other's "territory". 

"This bunker is only for protection. Militants had fired again, so everyone in our village, especially the women and the elderly, are worried about war. Hence, we built this bunker again to protect civilians," said Arun Kumar Singh, a village defence volunteer in Imphal West.

Joulian, a village defence volunteer in Churachandpur, said the bunkers are needed for the protection of their villages. "Actually, we are against dismantling of the bunkers. If all the bunkers are destroyed, how will we protect our villages? It won't be a good thing for our protection," he said. 

Announcing that schools from Classes 1 to 8 would reopen in Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh had also said on July 3 that bunkers built by both communities would be dismantled. While the authorities have acted on this, many of the bunkers that have been destroyed have simply been rebuilt. 

In border villages in the valley, locals led by women's groups are holding meetings to review their security. 

"We're holding an emergency meeting to discuss the fallout of security forces dismantling our bunkers. Security personnel, including those from the Border Security Force, dismantled all our bunkers and we allowed them to do it as we thought adequate security would be provided. But, other than posting eight Village Defence Force Personnel, the government has not given us enough security. We have, thus, reconstructed three bunkers for the village's defence," said Damon Tombi Devi, president of one such group - the Moidangpok Apunba Meira Paibi Lup  - in Imphal West. 

In the hills, the tribal leadership has spoken out against operations to dismantle bunkers in villages. "Our villages have been attacked despite central security forces guarding their borders. If the bunkers are removed, our lives and villages will be under threat. We won't agree to the removal of bunkers unless there is a strong presence of security forces in the border villages," said Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum in Churachandpur.

Over 140 people have lost their lives and more than 3,000 have been injured in the violence in Manipur, which began on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Over 50,000 people remain displaced.