The Supreme Court of India has directed the Manipur government to reveal details of property damage and encroachment after ethnic violence. This highlights the failure of local and national authorities to address the crisis and raises concerns about the judiciary’s role in conflict resolution when the executive fails to act.

Role of Supreme Court 

• Failure of the Executive: Initially, the steps taken by the Court, such as the extension of the Justice Gita Mittal-led Committee’s tenure to supervise investigations into the violence and the provision of humanitarian assistance, should have been the responsibility of the executive branch.
• However, the nature of the violence, which involved sexual violence, the destruction of property, and ethnic clashes, compelled the Court to step in.

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Rise of Non-State Actors

• Armed with sophisticated weapons, many of which have been looted from State armouries, these non-state actors have begun exerting their influence on the political process, further intensifying the conflict.
• Places like Jiribam, which had previously been peaceful, are now witnessing violence due to the spread of ethnic hostility.
• The growing power of these non-state actors, engaging in violent acts with impunity, is a sign of how the conflict has spiraled out of control and out of the government’s hands.

Role of Media

• Manipur’s ethnic violence has garnered national attention only when the scale of the violence became horrifying and reached unconscionable levels.

Secrecy by the Government

• The attorneys representing the government have been said to impose a veil of secrecy over the workings and findings of the Justice Mittal-led Committee, invoking the argument of “national security” as the reason for withholding information.

Truth and Reconciliation Mechanisms

• Conflict resolution worldwide has often focused on mechanisms like “truth and reconciliation” exercises, which aim to prioritize accountability and normative actions over political expediency.
• This also bridges the social and political gaps while bringing peace.
• This can be seen during the Civil war in Sri Lanka and the apartheid period of South Africa.

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Conclusion

The Justice Mittal Committee’s findings and its role in pushing for such accountability can be crucial in moving the situation forward.

Without a formal mechanism for truth-telling and addressing the root causes of the violence, Manipur will continue to suffer from ongoing instability and division.