Prof. Jangkhongam Doungel finished his graduation with Honours in Political Science at Patkai Christian College, Nagaland in 1993. He obtained his M.A. (Political Science) with First Class, 3’rd Position in Manipur University in 1996. He started his teaching career as Lecturer in Department of Political Science at Bethany Christian College, Lamka (Churachandpur), Manipur with effect from April 1996 to May, 1997. He was a faculty member in Department of Political Science, Government Lawngtlai College, Lawngtlai, Mizoram with effect from 8th May 1998 to 9th July, 2012 and joined Department of Political Science, Mizoram University as Associate Professor on 10th July 2012 and promoted to Professorship wef 10th July, 2015. He is a life member and Executive Member of Indian Political Science Association (IPSA), Leife Member and Vice President of North East India Political Science Association (NEIPSA), Life member of North East India Council for Social Science Research (NEICSSR), North East India History Association (NEIHA), Mizo History Association (MHA), Kuki Research Forum (KURF) and Life Member as well as Adviser of Mizoram Political Science Association (MIPSA). He presented 117 papers in International, National, Regional and State Level Seminars across the country. He chaired technical sessions 33 times in International, National and state level seminars and conferences. He has three single author books, one edited book and two co-edited books to his credit. He published 40 papers in journals, 33 papers in edited volumes and 4 papers in proceedings. He delivered key note address 20 times in National and State Level Seminar in various places including Jamia Millia Islamia on 28th August, 2019. He also delivered 28 lectures as Speaker of International and National Webinar/Online Workshops in different webinar programmes up till now. He is also often invited as Resource Person by Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Mizo Student Union (MSU), Zo Indigenous Forum (ZIF), Zofa Global Network (ZGN), Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO) and some other associations in Mizoram. He is also panellist a number of times in North East Live Channel, Guwahati which is the only English Channel in North East India. He is also a panellist in LPS Cable Network, Aizawl, Zonet Cable Network, Aizawl and Doordarshan, Aizawl from time to time. He has also been often interviewed by BBC, NDTV and some national channels from time to time. He is also Executive Editor of Rising Asia Journal, Kolkata and Editorial Board Member of Contemporary Social Scientist. He is a Fulbright Senior Research Fellow enjoying the prestigious Fulbright Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship Programme for 9 months (1st April – 31st December, 2021) and affiliated in Department of Political Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio State, United States of America.
In this exclusive interview with Abhish K. Bose Prof Doungel discusses the ground situation in Manipur which witnessed clashes amidst tribes.
Abhish K. Bose : The high voltage one-sided onslaught against the Kuki population in Imphal has caused immense damage to the coexistence of the indigenous population. Fearing harsh setbacks, the Kukis went en bloc to Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts of Manipur and some even went to the neighbouring states of Manipur. The mutual distrust and antagonism is unprecedented. What is your inference on the ground situation?
J Doungel : The attack upon the Kuki population was undertaken physically by Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun and some Meitei chauvinists but it was said to be planned and orchestrated by some powerful political authority. There are many right-thinking Meitei leaders, intellectuals and Meitei population who want to live in peace and harmony with the tribal people of the state but they are silenced and suppressed.
Attempts have been made by some chauvinist Meitei leaders to dilute Article 371 C of the Constitution of India by pushing for legislative changes for the settlement of Meitei population in the Hill Areas of Manipur, the ancestral land of the tribals, namely, the Naga tribes and the Zo ethnic (Kuki-Zo) tribes. The Congress Government led by R.K. Jaichandra Singh made an attempt to enforce the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1986 in the Hill Areas of Manipur but was withdrawn again as the tribal people were on the warpath. After that, the Congress Government led by Okram Ibobi Singh passed three bills on 31st August, 2015 in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, namely, Protection of Manipur People’s Bill, 2015; Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reform (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015; and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015. On the night when these three bills were passed i.e. 31stAugust, 2015, the residences of six MLAs of Manipur Legislative Assembly from the undivided Churachandpur District were burnt down by angry youths. The aggrieved youth were shot with live bullets, resulting in the tragic loss of nine valuable lives because of the merciless shooting by Manipur Police Commando. Curfew was declared and flag march was done at Lamka (Churachandpur). As the situation was too volatile and problematic, the Governor of Manipur withheld his assent to the bills. Instead, the Governor forwarded the bills to the President of India for consideration but Rashtrapati Bhawan was silent on the bills. Hence, the bills could not proceed any further.
The situation appeared to have calmed after the sad episode of the three controversial bills but multiple problems arose with the formation of BJP Government led by N. Biren Singh since 2018. As some of the Zo ethnic tribes in Hill Areas of Manipur openly engage in poppy cultivation, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh issued a strict order to stop poppy cultivation and to destroy poppy fields in the hills. The initiative received wide support and even within the Zo ethnic community, civil societies, philanthropic organisations, churches and intellectual circles vigorously campaignedagainst poppy cultivation. While the initiative of the Government of Manipur with regard to environmental protection is laudable, instead of engaging experts and raising awareness, there are reports of local people being terrorisedthrough the use of force. It was widely circulated on social media that the BJP Yuva Mocha volunteers went to hill areas such as Koubru with pistols in 2022 in the pretext of plantation drive.
The geographical area of Manipur is 22,327 Sq. kms, out of which, valley constitutes 10 percent of geographical area of the state and Hill Areas constitute 90 percent of the geographical area of the state. So far as population ratio is concerned, the valley constitutes 58.9% of the population while the Hill Areas constitute 41.1% percent of the population as per 2011 census. Tribal settlements in the hill areas of Manipur predate the Indian Forest Act, 1865 which was the first forest act enacted by the British Colonial Government in India. In fact, the tribal people, both Naga tribes and Kuki-Zo tribes, have inhabited the Hill Area of Manipur many centuries before the advent of British colonialism. By selectively declaring more than 20 different places in the hill districts inhabited by the tribals as reserved forests, protected forests, wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands, it appears that N. Biren Singh led BJP Government of Manipur tried to encroach the lands of the tribal people.
Gross human rights violations and fascist-like atrocities that are not expected from a democratically elected government already occurred under the BJP Government led by N. Biren Singh even before the ethnic violence broke out on 3rd May, 2023. On 20th February, 2023, K. SongjangVillage in Churachandpur District was forcibly evicted under the pretext of a reserved forest, with no prior notice or warning. The villagers’ homes were bulldozed without compassion, and police commandos, armed with sophisticated weapons, harassed and traumatized innocent civilians, including women and children. Additionally, places of worship were also demolished, in gross violation of international human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Fundamental Rights in Articles 25-30 of the Constitution of India. Three churches, namely, Evangelical Baptist Convention Church (EBCC), Lutheran Church (LC) and Holy Spirit Catholic Church (HSCC) at Tribal Colony, Imphal were bulldozed at the wee hour of 2:30 AM on 11th April, 2023.
The BJP Government led by N. Biren Singh is no longer an inclusive government of the people of Manipur but rather an exclusive government for the interest of a particular community that continuously commits atrocities and hatred upon other communities particularly the Kuki-Zo tribes. Thisis very much true with regard to the violence which is going on now in Jiribam. It should be recollected that Mr. SeigoulenSingson was mercilessly killed and dumped into a river by some unknown miscreants on 14th May, 2024 but the Manipur Police and the Meitei-exclusive government of Manipur were totally silent upon the murder. However, when S. Saratkumar was killed by unknown miscreants on 6th June, 2024, the Manipur Police acted so fast to file FIR and the Manipur Government was so restless unlike the merciless murder of Seigoulen Singson on 14th May, 2024. There was no evidence that S. Saratkumar was killed by the Kukis but the community was still blamed by the so-called state police and state government. As the present government of Manipur openly sided one community over another community, it is unlikely that peace and tranquillity will prevail under this one-sided and oppressive leadership of N. Biren Singh. Therefore, it will be difficult for the Kuki-Zo people to trust N. Biren Singh. It may be said that two Kuki-Zo Ministers still serve under N. Biren Singh but that does not signify that the Kuki-Zo people accept the present government led by N. Biren Singh. In order to maintain peace and tranquillity in Manipur, the present geographical divide should be maintained where the Meitei are restricted to their area in the valley and the Kuki-Zo people to theirs in the hills.
Abhish K. Bose : The violence against the tribals are continuing even after they fled Imphal. They are still being attacked on the border of Imphal. The government and the police authorities are still supporting the Meities. Will there be light at the end of the tunnel?
J Doungel : As stated earlier, there is no inclusive government in Manipur right now. The Government led by N. Biren Singh works exclusively for the Meiteis and sinisterly targets the Kuki-Zo people in order that they may be exterminated. In fact, if a democratically elected government is doing genocide action against a particular community, that is, Kuki-Zo community: there is no hope for normalcy. The future of Manipur is still very bleak. It is unlikely that Kuki-Zo people and Meitei people may live together again amicably like before. It is very doubtful now. It should be recollected that Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leipun and some miscreants looted more than 6000 sophisticated arms and ammunition in front of the state police force personnel who were silent spectators to the drama. Over and above that, there were no efforts from the Government of Manipur to recover those confiscated arms and ammunition. Instead of recovering arms, the Meitei miscreants were hand in glove with the state force who attacked and burnt Kuki villages. If the State Government and state forces jointly work together with one community to attack another community, it is unlikely that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. The present situation can be stated as Government of Manipur in alliance with Arambai Tengngoland some armed outfits who are fighting against the Kuki Zo tribes. If the state government is openly waging war against a particular community, it is unlikely that the targeted community (Kuki-Zo community) will trust the one-sided government. It may also be added that the Kuki-Zo people organise volunteers to defend their land because Kuki-Zo underground outfits who are now in Suspension of Operation (SoO) do not take up arms to defend their land as per the ground rules of SoO. Therefore, the Kuki-Zo people are neither concerned at all about expansion nor abrogation of SoO. Their main concern now is the protection of their land. These Kuki-Zo village volunteers are now wrongly labelled as Kuki militants and well-established armed outfits in valley are described as village volunteers by a section of media in Manipur valley.
Abhish K. Bose : In most areas the kukis boycotted the general elections as they feel that the government is not paying heed to their problems. In fact this had saved the ruling dispensation from the apparent ire of the besieged community of Kukis in the frays. Was the election free and fair?
J Doungel : The Kuki-Zo people boycotted the election in some districts because they no longer trust the corrupted and communal system of the present political system in Manipur. Further, the Government of India is also just a silent spectator without any corrective steps. The election was not fair at all because some militant groups both in the hills and the valley spearheaded violence but they were not successful. It was exposed in different media including electronic and print media about election-related violence in Manipur and re-poll was also held in many polling stations. Inspite of that, many Kuki-Zo voters cast their votes in the just concluded Lok Sabha electionswhich signify that they still have faith in the political system and the Constitution of India.
Abhish K Bose : The people in the plains are affected by floods and the hills by landslides. The fight is still tense because no concrete effort is being made by political leaders. How has the natural disasters aggravated people’s misery?
J Doungel : The government system in Manipur is failing because it choses to be exclusive rather than inclusive, led by communal and chauvinist Biren Singh. This one-sided government and corrupt political system offers little hope for the people on both sides. Though the nature of this exclusive government isto appease the Meiteis in the valley and to openly neglect the Kuki-Zo people in the hills, yet, there are reports of rehabilitation packages in the valley, where only three GCI sheets were distributed to flood and cyclone victims. The recipients were so angry that they destroyed the sheets which they received. Thus, the natural disaster really put the poor and needy people in untold sufferings both in the hills and valley, with the people of the hills being particularlyneglected.
Abhish K. Bose : How far larger issues have contributed to the crisis brewing in the northeast. Was the current issue a failure of the successive governments ruling the centre and the state in addressing the grievances of the indigenouspopulation in a time-bound manner?
J Doungel : Yes, the current issue is the failure of successive governments in both the centre and the state. The incumbentBJP Government led by N. Biren Singh is responsible for the present communal violence and ethnic cleansing in Manipur.The detailed answer to this question has already been answered in the first question.
A journalist with fifteen of years of experience Abhish K Bose was a staffer at The Times of India and The Deccan Chronicle – Asian Age. As a contributor, his interviews or articles have been published in Frontline magazine, The Wire, The Print, The Telegraph, The Federal, The News Minute, Outlook.com, Scroll, The Kochi Post, Countercurrents.org, The Telegraph, Madhyamam Weekly, Andolana, Hardnews.com, and the Asian Lite international published out of Manchester.
