Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had recently said, there is no such thing as a buffer zone, only sensitive or hotspot zones and also forces (including state forces, of course) can operate anywhere. Time and again, the Kukis had been talking about a ‘buffer zone’ between the valley and the surrounding hills while some paramilitary forces are also of the same opinion. Whenever state forces or local volunteers tried to retaliate on the attacks one or the other central forces were there to intervene or as they say they are simply trying to ‘keep the peace’ in between. Then, someone came up with the idea of a ‘buffer zone’ between the hill and valley areas. It could have been the higher-ups in central forces.
Kukis keep asserting the presence of ‘buffer zone’ and it is not at all strange given the nature of relationship the Indian security establishment had cultivated over the years with the Kukis. They keep saying that Meiteis, be it the state forces or local militias, have no right to cross the ‘buffer zone’ whatsoever be the circumstances. It was like the British dividing the valley and hills in the matter of administration during the colonial times. The wedge driven by them is still potent and often rears up its head. Meanwhile, attacks by militants safely ensconced in the bunkers lining the surrounding hill ridges remains a daily and continuous affair, sometimes co-ordinated attacks on several fronts even as the valley CSOs continue their demand for abrogation of SoO with Kuki militants by the Centre.
The emergence of a buffer zone in the Manipur situation has also to do with N Biren. One still remembers him saying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked him to handle law-and-order in the valley while Centre would take responsibility for the same in the violence-hit hill districts. It was on June 25 last year that he briefed the press at the Imphal airport.
A few days later, he made a U-turn and clarified what Amit Shah actually meant was that his ministry will firmly deal with the excessive violence in the hills and that the ground rules of the tripartite suspension of operation truce will be strictly enforced. This was after several CSOs protested against seemingly ceding maintenance of law and order to the Centre. They also complained that, he has practically agreed to separation of valley and hills while the Kukis are demanding a separate administration.
Violence continued even during the visit of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. During his visit, Kuki leaders met him at Churachandpur and Kangpokpi and asked him to provide security by central forces in the vicinity of Kuki villages which was put to action. Before the Home Minister left Imphal he vested the chairmanship of Unified Command normally held by the state Chief minister to the Security Advisor. However, the situation did not improve and violence continued.
While the Kukis clinged to the sense of security provided for by forces stationed near their villages and the continuance of SoO, a lack of security and lack of trust for central forces among the valley populace grew in leaps and bounds. If one remembers correctly, the first response of the Centre after violence broke out was parachuting a Security Advisor to the state ‘without’ officially invoking Article 355 of the Indian Constitution and vesting all security related affairs to him.
In short, the Home portfolio was practically wrested from the state Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, and a ‘security advisor’ was put in charge. Even, a new Director General of Police (DGP) was brought in through inter-cadre transfer. Several companies of para-military and central forces arrived to defuse the situation. And now, they are talking about keeping the peace in the so-called ‘buffer zone.’ This is nothing but legitimising the territorial demands of the Kukis while also facilitating the divide created in colonial times.
