‘Mutual Trust Still Missing’: CNN-News18 Accesses Govt’s Blueprint to Handle Manipur Crisis | Exclusive – News18

The situation in Manipur is fragile but under control and the state still needs time to heal, the Union government has noted in its blueprint — accessed by CNN-News18 — to handle the crisis in the state that has been raging for five months now.

Top government sources told CNN-News18 that establishing normalcy and maintaining peace is the top priority for now.

“Right now, the situation is under control and nothing major has been reported from the last two weeks. People have started going to work but mutual trust is missing between Kukis and Meiteis. The two communities are still not staying together which is a matter of concern for the administration,” sources said, adding that while the two groups have gone back to their respective areas, they have not returned to places where one community is in minority.

Sources said the government’s first aim is to stop violence as soon as possible. “Whenever we see violence, we create barricades so that there is no violence. Police and CAPF are doing a fantastic job and maintaining law and order.”

The second important job is the recovery of weapons. “Almost 5,600 weapons are missing and recovery is being made through surrender requests and raids. We have recovered almost 1,500 weapons and the job is still on. Weapons are also being matched with the records,” they said.

The third most important job is maintaining essential services. There are special instructions from the Narendra Modi government that essential services should be available without any trouble and hindrance

“The fourth important point is the deployment of forces and cooperation with public, especially in hotspot areas where the territories of Kukis and Meiteis end and start. The key task is to ensure that both community chiefs talk to each other and conduct normal business,” they said.

The fifth is to dispose bodies respectfully. “Kukis so far have not taken a large number of bodies and some bodies of Meiteis are also unclaimed in other locations. So we are trying to exchange these bodies to give them a respectable funeral.”

They added that the government is keeping a vigil on extortionists and for now, assisting NIA in cases and other agencies like CBI for carry out investigations is the primary aim. The sources also said the Supreme Court and SIT should work properly and arrests should be made.

On the issue of weapon recovery, the sources said the arms and ammunition have not gone out of Manipur. “Reports about weapons sent to other countries like China are wrong. We have no reports of any foreign hand instigating the violence.”

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority Meitei community, concentrated in the Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills.

In an effort to restore peace in the state, the Manipur government has prohibited the circulation of videos or images depicting violence and damage to properties.