Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) Offers Five-Point Framework That Explains Evolving Violence, Escalating Tensions and Governance Gaps.
TFM Report
Federation of Civil Society (FOCS), Manipur, presented a bold five-point framework to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday (May 27), urging a radical shift in how the Government of India addresses the crisis in Manipur since May 3, 2023.
During the closed-door meeting, FOCS highlighted the failure of existing strategies to curb violence fuelled by advanced weaponry, cross-border militancy, and entrenched institutional apathy.
- Moral Framing: From Victims to Perpetrators
As per sources, FOCS criticized the government’s “outdated moral lens,” which continues to portray the Kuki-Zo community solely as victims despite evidence of armed groups within community instigating violence. The document cited the May 3, 2023, outbreak of violence in Churachandpur, initially framed as ethnic persecution, but later marked by “extreme and diabolical violence” against Meiteis.
“The landscape of violence has evolved—and so must the response. Viewing Kuki-Zo through an obsolete victimhood frame risks strategic misjudgments”, FOCS told the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The federation stated that the issue became a “grey-zone warfare” tactics, including disappearances and cross-border militant activity along the Indo-Myanmar border, thus complicating geopolitical fissures.
- Rationale for Reframing: From Civil Unrest to Militarized Conflict
FOCS has reportedly outlined the conflict’s trajectory and stated that since May 22, 2023 onwards, the nature of the conflict began to shift from mob violence to more organized and militarized executions.
“From May 22, 2023 onwards, the conflict transformed from mob violence to more organized and militarized engagements, particularly in the peripheral areas where ethnic boundaries blur. Over time armed confrontations became more concentrated around strategic chokepoints and “buffer zones”. This second phase was marked by the adoption of standard conventional warfare of marking territory, developing infrastructure, construction of makeshift bunkers and fortifications. This was the time when the state or the central government should have intervened with resolute force and contain the violence. Allowing the militias to be armed and mobilized along ethnic lines allowed the hardliners to take control of the communities and moderate voices were subdued”, said a source from FOCS.
FOCS had underlined:
– May 2023: Civil unrest spiralled into riots and arson.
– September 2024: Drone bombings in Koutruk and Kadangband, later confirmed by National Investigation Authority (NIA) investigations, marked a turning point.
– December 2024: A Christmas Eve incident in Imphal East saw security forces successfully de-escalate tensions through coordinated operations.
Despite these successes, FOCS had questioned the “miscalculated restraint” in dismantling arm-manufacturing units in Kuki-Zo hill areas.
- Framing the Denial: Combating Separatist Narratives
The group challenged the government’s “weak strategic communication” in rejecting Kuki-Zo demands for separate administration or even the Union Territory status. FOCS argued that framing the denial purely as an administrative hurdle risks legitimizing separatist claims. Instead, it urged emphasizing Manipur’s “distinct, indivisible identity” predating India’s independence to foster unity.
- Conceptual Reframing: Rejecting ‘Inevitable Ethnic Violence’
FOCS condemned the more than apparent political leaders, intellectuals and commentators for dismissing the crisis as “traditional ethnic violence,” calling it a dangerous myth. FOCS has categorically stated that historically, the valley communities have rarely clashed with other communities except during the Meitei-Meitei Muslims 1993 riots. The federation stressed the need to reimagine governance models that address systemic failures and misinformation.
- Operational Reframing: From Hesitant to Proactive Action
While applauding past successes—like the December 2024 security operation and NIA crackdowns on infrastructure attacks—FOCS criticized the government’s “risk-averse approach.” Key gaps include:
– Fragmented coordination among agencies.
– Failure to degrade militant capacity in hill areas.
– Reactive rather than proactive strategies.
The observations of FOCS presented to MHA officials seems to have recommended: Shift to unified, intelligence-driven operations to dismantle militant networks and secure border zones.
Escalating Tactics: Drones, Rockets, and Grey-Zone Warfare
FOCS highlighted alarming tactics:
– Drone Bombings: September 1, 2024, attacks in Koutruk.
– Rocket Strikes: A 70-year-old killed in Moirang (September 6, 2024).
– Sabotage: Kwakta bridge bombing (June 2023), fuel contamination (January 2024), NH-37 convoy attacks (April 2024).
The federation finally asked the Government of India to take up adaptive strategies reflecting ground realities. These include:
– Prioritize Manipur’s historic unity to counter separatist narratives.
– Replace reactive policies with pre-emptive security measures.
– Strengthen inter-agency coordination and local intelligence.
The MHA is yet to issue an official response, but sources indicate the framework will have an impact on upcoming policy reviews. Sources close to FOCS and who had followed the high-profiled meeting said that the MHA has acknowledged the framework as “matured and a well prepared framing”.