Ethnic homelands obsolete, against democratic culture
IT News
Imphal, Oct 2:
At the 57th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) side event in Geneva, Dr. Arambam Noni, Associate Professor at D.M. University, Manipur, called for the preservation of Manipur’s pluralistic integrity and rejected the notion of ethno-centric homelands. Speaking as the second panelist, Dr. Noni outlined Manipur’s historical status as an erstwhile Asiatic Democratic Kingdom before its integration with India through the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement. The state, now mired in prolonged conflict and violence, serves as a backdrop for the divisive politics currently threatening its multicultural character.
Dr. Noni criticized the push for ethnic homelands, deeming it “untenable and obsolete,” as he explained Manipur’s rich multicultural heritage, where over 35 communities coexist. He warned that the rising ethno-centric politics, particularly the demand for a Kuki Lebensraum spanning India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, threatens to undermine the state’s historical and legal foundations. This trend, he argued, is being fueled by transnational instability and illicit economic activities, notably Myanmar’s $40 billion drug market.
He emphasized that these ethno-centric claims, driven by a small section of elites and academics, are intended to divide people along ethnic lines. Such politics, according to Dr. Noni, balkanizes multicultural societies and erodes the democratic foundations of modern states. He further noted that the weaponization of ethnicity often leads to the suppression of smaller tribes in the India-Myanmar region, as dominant ethnic groups seek to impose their territorial ambitions.
Dr. Noni also highlighted the impact of ethnic conflict in Manipur, specifically how it has deprived valley inhabitants of access to national highways for over a year. He expressed concern about the state’s unfair land laws, noting that the central valley—home to 60% of Manipur’s population on just 8% of its territory—could become a geographic minority due to skewed administrative policies.
Addressing the broader factors exacerbating ethnic tensions, Dr. Noni pointed to transborder influences such as drug trafficking, poppy cultivation, human trafficking, and displacement due to instability in Myanmar. These issues, coupled with a loss of 877 sq. km. of forest cover between 1987 and 2021, have contributed to skewed demographic growth and inter-ethnic anxieties in Manipur. The opposition by some ethnic groups to citizen enumeration and sustainable development further challenges governance and food security in the state.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Noni called for the urgent restoration of normalcy in Manipur. He reiterated that the demands for ethnic homelands are unsustainable and called on stakeholders to preserve the state’s unity under the mandates of Article 1 and Schedule 1, Entry 19 of the Indian Constitution, as well as international principles like uti possidetis juris.
The session’s third panelist, Mrs. Dilara Malique, Advisor to the Swiss Bangladesh Women Association, addressed human rights issues in Bangladesh. The fourth panelist, Mrs. Punam Duhotia, a Human Rights Defender, discussed the ecological and displacement concerns arising from mega-dam projects in Northeast India, particularly Arunachal Pradesh.
The one-hour session concluded with an appeal from the moderator, Dr. Elangbam Bishwajeet, for an end to the violence in Manipur. He also called for the safe release of two youths allegedly held hostage by Kuki militants on humanitarian grounds.
Another speaker Khuraijam Athouba presented a panoramic view on Manipur violence. Khuraijam Athouba presented a database on Understanding Manipur Crisis: Its Causes and Impacts. While referring to reported incidences of attacks on civilians, Athouba highlighted that according to newspaper reports 90% of attacks were unprovoked attacks from Kuki miliants. Athouba highlighted the dangers of the proposed lebensraum for Kukis as propagated by P.S. Haokip. His presentation was largely confined to factual information. Athouba unveiled the fact that several Chin-Kuki undergrounds were having trans-national origin.
