New Delhi: Seven days after President’s Rule was imposed on Manipur, the state’s governor Ajay Bhalla issued an appeal urging residents to surrender looted and illegally held weapons, saying that doing so would be a “powerful gesture towards ensuring peace”.
The statement, released on Thursday (February 20), comes against the backdrop of over 21 months of conflict that has left Manipur in turmoil, affecting communities both in the Imphal valley and the surrounding hills.
Chief minister N. Biren Singh resigned from his post on February 9 amid mounting pressure over his handling of the ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
Days later, on February 13, the Union government imposed President’s Rule in Manipur citing the deteriorating law and order situation.
In his statement on Thursday, Bhalla acknowledged the hardships faced by the people and called upon all communities to cooperate in bringing an end to hostilities.
“In the greater interest of restoring normalcy, so that people can return to their normal day-to-day activities, all communities in the State must come forward to ensure cessation of hostilities and maintenance of peace & order in the society,” Bhalla said.
He particularly appealed to the youth, urging them to voluntarily surrender looted and illegally held weapons and ammunition to the nearest police station, outpost or security camp within seven days from the date of the announcement.
Bhalla assured that no punitive action would be taken against those who surrender arms within the stipulated time frame but warned that strict action would follow against those who continued to possess the weapons after the deadline.
The ongoing violence in Manipur has claimed over 250 lives, displaced more than 60,000 people and caused much destruction of property.
Large caches of weapons – including lakhs of rounds of ammunition – were looted from police armouries since the violence erupted, further complicating efforts to restore order.
“Let us rebuild our State together with hope and trust for a brighter future. Come forward and choose peace,” Bhalla stated.
However, whether the appeal will have the intended effect remains uncertain, as deep mistrust continues to persist between communities and towards law enforcement agencies.
With no clear roadmap for reconciliation and justice for those affected by the conflict, many believe that appeals alone may not be enough to address the root causes of violence in the state.
The response to the governor’s call in the coming days will be crucial in determining whether Manipur is on the path to peace or if tensions will persist in the conflict-ridden state.
Also read: In Manipur, a Pawn Is Sacrificed to Save the King
Not the first appeal from authorities to return arms
In September 2023, Biren Singh, then the chief minister, issued a 15-day ultimatum to residents to surrender illegal weapons, warning of stringent action by state and Union forces against non-compliance.
Despite this, few individuals came forward to return their arms.
Authorities even installed gun drop boxes in Manipur, including during the Lok Sabha elections, to encourage voluntary surrender, but these efforts were unsuccessful.
Polling in parts of the Inner Manipur seat had to be reconducted after initial voting was disrupted. The seat was ultimately won by Congress candidate Bimol Akoijam.
Since the onset of the ethnic violence in May 2023, over 5,600 weapons and approximately 6.5 lakh rounds of ammunition were looted from police armouries across Manipur.
As of October 2023, only about 1,500 of these weapons and 20,000 rounds of ammunition had been recovered.
The weapons recovered include sophisticated firearms such as AK-47s, M16s and Insas rifles.
A response to a right to information query also revealed that in the past seven years, the Biren Singh government issued the highest number of gun licenses in the northeast.
Data obtained by The Wire in July 2023 showed that there were 35,117 active gun licenses in Manipur, up from 26,836 in December 2016.
Divided state with armed guards
Manipur remains deeply divided between the valley and the hills, with the Kuki-Zo unable to enter Imphal and Meiteis barred from visiting the hill regions.
During this correspondent’s visit, it was evident that many residents were carrying licensed weapons, while some possessed unlicensed arms, while guarding their respective communities.
Anyone traveling from Imphal to the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur must undergo checks by Kuki community guards, who patrol the borders and peripheral areas. A similar process applies to those entering Imphal.
In addition to army checkpoints, local communities have set up their own security posts, reinforcing the stark divisions within the state.
