‘Hard to see countrymen fight’ — Assam Rifles, Army soldiers in Manipur on family & ethnic strife

Eight months since ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur, security personnel remain deployed there to maintain order in a state where peace remains fragile.

An Assam Rifles soldier stands guard along the Indo-Myanmar border in Moreh, Manipur's Tengnoupal district | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint

KARISHMA HASNAT, The Print, 07 January, 2024, Guwahati: It was the evening of 3 May last year when a 44-year-old Assam Rifles (AR) soldier in Imphal West received his orders along with hundreds of fellow paramilitary troopers deployed across Manipur. Violence had erupted following the ‘Tribal Solidarity Rally’ and it spread to Imphal.

At 2 am, moments after an explosion was heard at a distance, the rifleman took position at the AR camp in the district. Soon after, three columns were moved to the violence-hit locations.

“When the violence started, we got immediate orders. We are ever-ready in all circumstances anyway, but that evening, we never expected the situation to get that worse. We moved to the trouble-torn areas — patrolling throughout the night and till sunrise,” he told ThePrint over the phone.

Eight months on since ethnic violence erupted between the tribal Kuki-Zo community and the non-tribal Meitei majority, there are no signs of a resolution, and neither side is willing to back down. At least 200 people have reportedly been killed and tens of thousands displaced. People in large numbers are still languishing in relief camps across Manipur.

The rifleman kept a count. “Almost 250 days,” he said, since the Assam Rifles, the Indian Army and other security forces were deployed across Manipur.

The intensity of fighting that ebbed and flowed last summer has taken a darker turn in the New Year’s season. For the soldiers, winter in Manipur is harsh enough to remind them of unpredictable situations and the helplessness of those affected.

“When we stepped out (3 May), we saw a crowd of thousands approaching — the location was about 7-8 km from our camp. They seemed to be returning from somewhere, and were trying to reach other areas. It was difficult to handle such a big crowd, but we managed to prevent them from going farther. They went back through the fields… Towards dawn, troops scattered and took guard at vulnerable areas,” the rifleman recalled.

ThePrint was among the first to report about the conflict from ground — the rupture in ties between the communities was grimly apparent in the trail of destruction witnessed the very next day — broken windows, mangled vehicles, charred houses and ravaged places of worship.

Explaining the changing nature of the violence, a senior defence official said: “It is becoming more deadly and lethal with the use of heavy weapons.”

“People are using automatic rifles, stun grenades — they have access to rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) and are equipped with weapons that Assam Rifles does not have. Even if we can make out where the fire comes from, we can’t necessarily fire back. It’s a restriction. The kind of restraint exercised is an everyday learning, and there so many dilemmas,” the official added.

The troops, meanwhile, remain resilient and continue to maintain frontline positions, “protecting and defending” the vulnerable, and making desperate efforts to restore normalcy.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Lt. Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita, who retired on 31 December, had commended the forces for their efforts and dedication, and for being “largely successful” in containing the violence. “I have been to Manipur about 10 times in the last six months. And I have observed the excellent job our junior leadership and troops are doing on ground — despite a lot of challenges and obstruction by common people, the amount of restraint they have exercised is extremely praiseworthy,” Lt. Gen. Kalita had told ThePrint. 

Overcoming challenges, finding trust

For the foot soldiers on the ground, the challenges are different from any they have experienced so far.

“Earlier, I had served two tenures in Manipur. I had only encountered insurgents. This is the first time I faced such a huge mob. We are trained on how to deal with locals, but language remains a barrier,” said the 44-year-old rifleman at a buffer zone in Imphal West district.

Another 39-year-old rifleman from the state, posted in Imphal West district since July, said he often helped colleagues and seniors by acting as an interpreter.

“We never saw a conflict of this intensity. My house is safe, and so are my family members. So far, I have faced no obstacles. I am a local, but my colleagues face a language problem when interacting with the civilians. I translate for them, and also help the officers understand what the people want to convey,” said the rifleman, who has served in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura.

He said his brother is serving in Manipur Police, but the two of them have not ran into each other or encountered a face-to-face situation during the conflict.

The Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police were occasionally at loggerheads during operational procedures with locals on either side alleging that the forces rarely remained neutral.

“We respect our uniforms and perform our duties. We never talk about our organisations. Even at home, and while I was on a month-long leave in September, we did not discuss much about such affairs,” the rifleman said.

Commenting on the situation, a senior Army officer asserted that either of the two rival communities would call the forces biased if their offensive is foiled. “There’s also the challenge of social media warfare where some try to tarnish our image… But we are still trying to do our best,” the senior officer told ThePrint.

A joint operation by security forces in December last year at Koirengei, Imphal East district | Special Arrangement

Joint operations are being carried out from time to time even as sporadic clashes and gunfights continue in sensitive areas. On 2 January, an attack on security forces by “armed groups” at Moreh in Tengnoupal district left six personnel injured.

On 1 January, four people were killed and 14 others injured by “armed miscreants” at Lilong Chingjao, a Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) area in Thoubal district near Imphal West, following which an indefinite curfew has been imposed in valley districts.

“Peace should return as early as possible — our children need a good environment for education. People had just started to come out of houses, move freely, visit the market, but things went bad again. Here, everyone knows anything can go wrong anytime,” the rifleman added.

In joint operations by the Army and the Assam Rifles, 1,600 weapons were recovered — out of 5,668 that were looted from police armouries in the months following the 3 May violence.

The Assam Rifles has endeavoured to hold “security meetings with the local leaders and youth of both communities to foster a sense of peace,” another defence officer told ThePrint. “Besides, we have distributed relief materials, including blankets, ration, medicines, water storage tanks, sports equipment and stationery items, to the displaced.”

Workings of a mother’s heart 

At the Kangvai-Torbung junction, which connects the hill district of Churachandpur to the valley areas, the primary focus of riflewomen is to control the crowd in hostile situations.  

“Our priority is to protect women and children during arson and gunfights. As of now, since the situation is relatively calm, we keep watch at checkpoints, frisk vehicles that cross this junction. We get deployed whenever the situation demands,” a 30-year-old AR riflewoman told ThePrint. 

Recalling an episode when a displaced woman gave birth to a baby at the Assam Rifles camp, she said it not only brought happiness, but revived her motherly instinct. She requested the unit to let her visit home for her daughter’s birthday in September, and was granted a 20-day leave — her first in seven months of deployment. 

“It’s the workings of a mother’s heart — whenever I see displaced mothers and children. We try to provide everything including milk for toddlers, medical attention. We were providing relief at the camp for a month. We stood guard at night duty. The internally displaced people faced a language barrier and were reluctant to talk, but we tried to understand through gestures,” she said.

The riflewoman added that she always wanted to join the military, learn about the different places in the country and serve the people. “Children approach us, and we try to make them familiar with the olive green. We mingle with them, give them chocolates,” she said.

“When the situation was volatile, we hardly got two hours’ rest for two-three months. Riflewomen are generally required to handle ladies and children, and we didn’t have many in the unit that time. We have been working on a rotation basis and the shift varies.” 

She manages to make calls “after duty” to her daughter, but struggles with internet connectivity where she is deployed.

“I talk to my family regularly, but cannot make video calls because of the erratic network. Whenever my daughter finds time from coaching classes, and I get free from duty, we talk. Every time I call, she asks, ‘Mummy, kab aaoge? (Mother, when would you return?)’”

‘Adjustment is the key’

Generally, local residents open abandoned shops, barns and even their homes to the troopers to rest. “We don’t go inside their house, but rest awhile in sheds that were used as roadside shops. We have set up washrooms for our use,” the riflewoman said.

A 34-year old rifleman deployed at Moreh in Tengnoupal district quipped: “Kaam chal jayega. (It works) Adjustment is the key.”

“Everything won’t be available on the edge of the road. We manage our own resources and we carry our materials.”

One of the security meetings held by the Army with village volunteers in Manipur’s Kamjong, Ukhrul and other districts in January | Special Arrangement

“We don’t have facilities everytime in our area. So, we do our own set-up. We carry personal belongings — kit bags, dry ration or special ration. In the rainy season, villagers provided us shelter in thatched houses; we also pitched tents,” a rifleman posted in Chandel district said.

This AR jawan had just returned from leave, the first he availed since May.

The situation remains tense in the border town of Moreh, and network connectivity remains an issue, the 34-year-old said.

“In such circumstances, our families are always worried about our safety. Initially, for two months, I did not get to talk to my family as mobile network and internet service was curtailed. But we were made to call home through the unit telephone for 5-10 minutes.”

Like the civilian population, the troops, especially those posted in far-flung areas, find it difficult to make online transactions or send money to their families. “Even to make a call at home, I have to move to a location that catches the network signal,” said the rifleman in Moreh.

A 29-year-old AR rifleman deployed at a buffer zone falling between Kakching and Chandel districts said there are obstacles in form of blockades put up by community members in certain areas. Gunfight was last reported in the area in June, he said.

“When there were road blockades, we couldn’t take leave. Even now, there are blockades in some areas. In eight months, the situation is somewhat undisturbed, but tensions do arise. Getting leave is a little difficult in such times, but I was granted 10-day leave recently. I went and saw my month-old baby girl,” he said.

Against all odds, the locals have started welcoming the soldiers and reciprocating well, the rifleman informed.

“When we go out for patrol during the day, the villagers from all communities under Sugnu police station talk to us and share their concerns. Language is a factor, but the local boys help us understand. We exchange greetings like ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Namaste’.”

‘We are following orders’

Out on the ground somewhere along the India-Myanmar border, the 34-year-old soldier from Assam’s Lakhimpur district spoke about the bonds of brotherhood and the demands of the service. “That is the way of life for troops,” he said.

“When we are ordered to stand guard at a place, we do that. We simply follow orders to take position wherever required. That’s how we are trained.”

Across the state, while families, friends and loved ones have been divided, the personnel make an effort to bridge this disconnect.

“Among the two communities, there were friends living and studying together, and meeting each other everyday. We wish to unite them again. It is hard to see countrymen fighting,” said another rifleman in one of the buffer zones.

“Earlier, we had to be alert for any eventuality as the mob could come from any location, direction. Now, we know which pockets are vulnerable. We are mentally prepared for anything.”

(Edited by Tony Rai)