Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh speaks to NDTV
The nature of the violence in Manipur has shifted from clashes between two communities to attacks by insurgents on security forces now, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
The comments come amid fierce gunfights between the security forces and insurgents in Moreh, a key trading town on the India-Myanmar border.
"During these past eight months, unwanted incidents took place on some days, not for the whole eight months. Three-four months were peaceful and silent. The violence during the new year was between the state security forces and militants, not between two communities. Now, the dimension of the conflict has changed to state forces fighting against militants," Mr Singh told NDTV in an interview.
The Kuki tribes have asked the Centre to remove the state police from Moreh and keep only central forces. They have alleged the police of attacking Kuki civilians. The Manipur Police have refuted the allegations and said those attacking the state police commandos were hill-based insurgents.
The Chief Minister called for ending the Free-Movement Regime (FMR) on the India-Myanmar border, which allows people on either side of the border to travel over 15 km without papers in each other's territory.
"Border fencing is a must. It is important to cancel the FMR. Of course, people should come. Follow the rules, get paperwork as is done in any international travel. But right now there is no system in place, no checks," Mr Singh told NDTV.
The Chief Minister has said they suspect the involvement of foreign mercenaries in the Manipur violence.
On what the BJP government has been doing to restore full normalcy in Manipur, Mr Singh said, "People in the hills and the valley are themselves trying to restore peace. From the government side also we are trying our best with the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah. Both sides have been talking and discussions happening through proper channels. I can't disclose everything. Total normalcy will be restored very soon," Mr Singh said, adding the government will give Rs 1 lakh each to all displaced people in 10 days so that they can meet their immediate expenditure.
Mr Singh blamed several successive governments in the past for the current crisis. "Had the leaders back in 1947-49 during the merger given some attention, this problem would not have happened," he told NDTV.
"The border is 398 km long. Some people on both sides of the border share some ethnic ties. Had the fencing been done well decades ago and a pass system developed, the issue of influx would not have grown so big. The Centre in those early years left Manipur on its own. The border is guarded by the Assam Rifles, but they are doing two jobs - guarding the border and carrying out counter-insurgency operations. They are stationed 10-20 km inside from the border. On top of this, there is the Free-Movement Regime (FMR), which allows people from across the border to come for several kilometres without any checks. So think, they are the same tribe, same community, same language, same culture," the Chief Minister said.
"No one ever thought about the indigenous people of Manipur, no one. It is only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah came that we saw development and security in this region. Otherwise, the previous governments - I don't want to say about other states - left Manipur on its own. Whatever is happening now is because of the inaction by the previous governments," Mr Singh said.
Over 180 have died and thousands have been internally displaced in the Manipur violence that began on May 3, 2023.