Thank you dear subscribers, we are overwhelmed with your response.
Your Turn is a unique section from ThePrint featuring points of view from its subscribers. If you are a subscriber, have a point of view, please send it to us. If not, do subscribe here: https://theprint.in/subscribe/
On May 4, 2023, a distressing incident was reported from Manipur, where footage surfaced in July capturing a heinous act of a Kuki woman being stripped and marched by a mob. The recording depicted numerous young men forcibly parading and subjecting the woman to acts of indignity across agricultural fields in Kangpokpi. This deplorable act of public humiliation and sexual violence occurred in the aftermath of interethnic hostilities between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Family members of the victimized woman launched a formal police report, based on which a zero FIR has been registered in the Saikul police station of Kangpokpi district. Echoing Susan Brownmiller’s argument, the perpetration of rape transcends mere sexual gratification, embodying a tool perpetuating dominance and subjugation. Such sexual violence in the milieu of conflict is a deliberate tactic, especially during times of conflict or war, when it is a political act rather than an individual one. In congruence with Foucault interpretation of the act of rape, the perpetration of sexual violence in this context is an extension of socio-political domination, a tactical measure used to discipline and control communities amidst wartime or strife, is witnessed in this instance.
India’s Northeast, often branded as the “troubled periphery”, is a region that recurrently experiences severe ethnic strife. Nevertheless, due to the romanticized misconceptions regarding this region isolated by the narrow Siliguri Corridor – also known as the “Chicken’s Neck” – the wounds endured by its inhabitants are often misinterpreted and overlooked. These wounds are symptomatic of the myriad haphazard and poorly implemented policies enacted by the post-colonial state, which endeavoured to assimilate this frontier into a “normal sovereign state”, disregarding the multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-sub national identities that thrive within its domain. Manipur is but one illustration within the broader context. The video, which momentarily captured national scrutiny, paves the way towards the complex socio-political dynamics within the state of Manipur, where Chief Minister Biren Singh’s ‘War on Drugs’ campaign to eradicate poppy cultivation has further fueled ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
FROM NARCOTICS TO NARRATIVES: UNCOVERING THE WAR ON DRUGS CAMPAIGN
The illicit cultivation of poppy for opium production has been a persistent issue in Manipur for over a decade. In the 2017-18 period, it was estimated that poppy cultivation covered an approximate area of 6,000 acres across various hill districts in the state. Despite being declared a contraband substance back in 1985, the extensive cultivation of poppy persists in the hilly regions of Manipur, and reports indicate a significant increase in production over recent years. It has become an annual practice in Manipur to conduct drives against illegal poppy cultivation. These eradication efforts are carried out by official bodies including the Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), the Anti-Narcotics Department, Manipur Police and Assam Rifles. However, despite the proactive stance taken by law enforcement agencies to destroy hundreds of acres of poppy plants each year, government surveys reveal that poppy cultivation remains widespread in the remote hill areas of the state.
Official reports from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) indicate that the raw opium derived from poppy cultivation in Manipur is illicitly transported to the notorious Golden Triangle region, encompassing Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam via the porous Indo-Myanmar border. The cultivation and distribution of poppy are predominantly concentrated in economically disadvantaged and underserved areas of Manipur. These remote hilly regions are characterized by substandard housing, limited local employment opportunities, inadequate infrastructure, corrupt government agencies, and widespread poverty, all of which create a conducive environment for the cultivation of poppy. The cultivation of poppy has emerged as an alternative due to the government’s failure to consistently provide essential employment opportunities through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to individuals holding job cards.
While the government’s attempts to tackle this problem are praiseworthy, such as Chef Minister Biren Singh’s 2018 declaration of the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign to combat drug abuse and illicit poppy cultivation, which included the promise of providing alternative sources of income such as livestock farming and fruit cultivation for affected farmers, there remain several unaddressed issues. Firstly, the Chief Minister did not specify how these schemes would be made accessible to the farmers. Secondly, the state government has yet to fulfil their commitments. The aggressive eradication of poppy cultivation initiated by government officials is leading to a rise in social tensions and a growing sense of hostility between the government (Meitei dominant) and farming communities (tribals).
Poppy cultivation in Manipur is far from being a community-specific problem. Data provided by the Manipur police in 2017 show that out of 2518 individuals apprehended in drug-related cases, 1083 were Pangals, a valley-based ethnic group that follows Islam. The Kuki community followed closely with 873 arrests, while the Meiteis trailed behind with 381 arrests. In 2021, data from the Netherlands-based Translational Institute revealed that poppy cultivation in Manipur is most prevalent in Saikul, Ukhrul, and Chandel, with Saikul being the native land of the Kukis and Ukhrul and Chandel predominantly inhabited by the Naga community. However, even in the Kuki-dominated hills of Churchandpur, there is an acknowledged issue. The chairman of the community’s highest governing body has openly admitted that despite active efforts to discourage poppy cultivation, individuals persist in doing so due to the persistent challenges of poverty and the absence of government incentives.
The state’s rhetoric surrounding “narco-terrorism” is closely linked to claims that Kuki militant groups harbour illegal Kuki migrants from Myanmar who are “already well versed” in the “art” of conducting drug operations. This rhetoric employs problematic stereotypes to further marginalize the Kukis, who have been living in Manipur for centuries. These accusations have exacerbated their grievances and intensified hostilities between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
This article has been written by Prakhya Boiragi, a fifth-year law student studying at Jindal Global Law School.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint
Very nice & interesting.