GUWAHATI: Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita has labelled the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur as a “political problem”.
In a stern address at an event organised by the Gauhati Press Club on Tuesday, Lt Gen Kalita stressed on the urgency for a political resolution to the crisis that has claimed 180 lives and left hundreds injured.
“Our efforts have been to contain the violence and motivate both sides of the conflict to come for a peaceful resolution of the political problem. Because ultimately, there has to be a political resolution to the problem,” said Lt Gen Kalita, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
Kalita also revealed a troubling aspect of the unrest, stating that over 5,000 weapons had been looted from various police stations in the state since the violence erupted on May 3.
“Out of that, we have recovered around 1,500 weapons, but about 4,000 weapons are still at large,” he expressed concern, underscoring that until these weapons are retrieved, incidents of violence are likely to persist in the Northeastern state.
The senior military official stressed that the return of these weapons is crucial for the restoration of lasting peace in Manipur. Without their recovery, achieving sustainable peace in the region remains a formidable challenge, he said.
Lt Gen Kalita also turned his attention to the refugee crisis from Myanmar, highlighting the impact of instability in India’s neighbourhood given the shared border.
He outlined the meticulous process for providing shelter, ensuring the separation of weapons, and identifying individuals. There is a clear directive not to allow armed cadres into the country, he declared.
Currently, the Assam Rifles is tasked with managing the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur and Mizoram.
Over 31,000 people from Myanmar, predominantly from Chin State, have sought refuge in Mizoram following the military coup in February 2021.
Recent weeks witnessed Myanmar soldiers fleeing intense gunfights with the People’s Defence Force (PDF), finding sanctuary in Mizoram before being escorted back to Myanmar through Moreh in Manipur.
Addressing another concern, Lt Gen Kalita spoke about Assamese youth joining the proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I).
He attributed this trend to a “lack of awareness” and urged the younger generation not to jeopardise their lives by affiliating with extremist organisations.
“Peace has returned to Assam for the last 10 years, infrastructure has improved, and development work has been done, so I urge the younger generation not to ruin their lives by joining any extremist organization,” he said, stressing the importance of maintaining peace and fostering awareness among the youth in the region.
