The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary– August 24, 2023; Day 457

Festering (to become more unpleasant because you do not deal with it successfully) wounds: On Manipur’s elusive (Difficult to detect) peace

Manipur continues to remain on the boil (if a situation or feeling is on the boil, it is very strong or active) due to ineffective governance

More than three months since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur, there are still little or no signs of lasting peace. From competing groups imposing blockades (Prevents access or progress) of arterial (Of or relating to a major route) roads to sporadic (Recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances) attacks resulting in deaths, the conflict is rife (Excessively abundant) with incidents suggesting the breakdown of law and order. Another indication of the state of affairs is the difference in perceptions between the police and the paramilitary Assam Rifles with unedifying (unpleasant and causing people to feel no respect) acts such as an FIR being lodged by the police against the latter for “obstructing” it from discharging its duties. Far from moving away from the ethnic quagmire (A complicated, difficult or confused situation) and in search of a détente (The easing of tensions or strained relations), the situation is more like a powder keg (a dangerous or volatile situation). That people are still in relief camps and many houses have been destroyed, and anyone seeking peace has been subjected to violence or threats also attest (stand as proof of) to this unfortunate fact. India’s mainstream polity had an opportunity to use the monsoon session of Parliament to nudge (Push into action by pestering or annoying gently) key stakeholders to work towards reconciliation (The reestablishing of cordial relations). But that opportunity was seemingly lost, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had little to say beyond homilies (A sermon on a moral or religious topic) on what needs to be done even as the Opposition only sought to pin down (Place in a confining or embarrassing position) the government for its failures as a means to score a political point in the run-up (A substantial increase over a relatively short period of time) to the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The events in Manipur so far suggest that the ethnic conflict festers because of the intractable (difficult to manage or mould) positions by the Meitei and Kuki-Zo leaders. The Meitei refuse to acknowledge the sense of bias in the State government’s actions — especially by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh — that have alienated (Arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness) the Kuki-Zo and its representatives, cutting across (Be contrary to ordinary procedure or limitations) party lines. The latter seeks to harp (persistently complain about) on the idea of a “separate administration”, complicating the fragile (Vulnerably delicate) co-existence of ethnic identities in the State which include others such as the Naga community. The refusal of civil society representatives to rise above their ethnic differences has also exacerbated (Make worse) the conflict, which has worsened due to the lack of accountability of the State government and its refusal to change its leadership — a step that seems to be the only clear possibility of bringing forward reconciliation. Manipur is a vital border State and the continuing distrust between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo will have a lasting impact on future generations, severely hampering progress. The Union government’s choices are clear: it can either continue the narrow-minded emphasis on not giving into any critique, even if constructive, and let the situation fester into an uneasy stasis (​a situation in which there is no change or development), or take up the gauntlet and bring about substantive changes in the State leadership, heralding (to say in public that somebody/something is good or important) steps towards reconciliation.

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