Editorial Analysis 6 July

INTERNAL SECURITY

Walk the talk

Source: The Hindu

Context

• PM Modi spoke to the Parliament on the conflict involving the ethnic communities in Manipur and stressed on the theme of peace.

Details

Evolution of the Issue

• Historical Tensions:
  • To add, existing ethnic enmity in Manipur from the pre-partition British India between Meiteis, Kukis and
• Land Rights and Illegal Migration:
  • Lands issues particularly the usage of the land, problems arising from and influenced by cases of illegal immigrants, and competition for the scarce and limited resources.
• Socio-Economic Issues:
  • This is due to high unemployment rates and few economic opportunities available that can address the outstanding issues.
• Recent Trigger:
  • In relation to the decision made by the court to declare the Meitei people as the scheduled Tribe, the Kuki people noted some disadvantageous impacts.

The Conflict

• Intensified ethnic unrest occurred in May 2023, between Meitei and Kuki ethnic groups.
• The death toll rises to over a hundred thirty, four hundred and more persons injured, while sixty thousand have been left displaced.
• The burning of churches, temples, villages and recorded increase in cases of violence against women.
• Appeal and formation of so called “village/miao defence squads” or armed militias.
• The conflict has extended to many other districts that were free from conflict formerly, for instance, Jiribam.

Government Response

• Central Government has sent out security forces, put restrictions in place and limited the usage of the internet to prevent violence.
• This particular issue was also voiced by Congress MP Bimol Akoijam.
• The Honourable PM Mr. Modi also recognized this crisis and decreed for patience, calmness, and no hurling of accusations.
• Home Minister Amit Shah has announced for the judicial probe.
• Formation of a peace-making committee that would help in solving the issues averted.

Long-Term Challenges

• Displacement of tens of thousands belong to the displaced population influencing governance, welfare, schooling and health service.
• Underlying social tensions and lack of trust in the authorities and weakened since the fighting between the central authorities and rebel regions and violent crackdowns.
• The involvement of all the communities to feel confident and cooperate is very vital in achievement of the objective of stable and reconciled society.
• Responding to any cases of human rights abuse including but not limited to gender-based violence or any form of killings in the society and ensuring sufficient humanitarian assistance.

Possible Solutions

• Sustained to provide leadership for the purpose of continuing maintaining peace and reconciliation.
• Deal with factors like; ownership of land, soil policies, distribution of resources and social inequalities.
• Support interactivity between the different communities, post-conflict independent commissions, investigation agencies and local traditional methods of conflict resolution.
• It is very important to conduct proper assessments of discrimination complaints and give necessary consequences to the offenders.
• Strengthen good governance and enhance the measures of transparency, promote civil society’s participation, and encourage women to be included in processes of rebuilding and maintaining peace.
• UN Recommended to scale up the humanitarian response, active documentation of violence and expanded protection for HRDs.

Conclusion

• Thus, the ethnic conflict in Manipur is still one of the most painful and rooted, which may be solved only by enhancing sensitive and comprehensive measures and actions to provide a stable and safe future for the population.

Sources:

The Hindu

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Why Assam keeps flooding

Source: Indian Express

Context

• Assam is affected by terrible annual floods that claim lives and displaces the people. Thus, while government regulations exist, insufficient flood prevention, geographical conditions and problems with urbanization remain, requiring further, permanent solutions.

Details

Issue

• Every year, great part of Assam gets submerged and it causes the loss of lives, displacing around hundreds of thousands of people and causing a severe loss to crops.
• However, the governments’ attempts to address the situation by investing in the major flood protection projects remain insufficient, and ineffective old flood protection systems along with the insufficient use of the modern approaches to solve the problem are still being discussed.

Possible causes for annually flooding in Assam

• Topography and Geography:
  • Flood is a recurrent issue in Assam, more than one-third of the area is prone to flooding owing to the huge number of rivers – the Brahmaputra and the Barak, and their branches.
• Heavy Rainfall:
  • These include the influence of high rainfall especially from the river origins in high rainfall endowment zones.
• Flash Floods:
  • The floods from the other neighboured states particularly Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
• Bank Erosion:
  • Frequent and deep river bank erosion of the Brahmaputra river mostly exceeding 4. 27 lakh hectares of its fertile land since 1950, it widened the river up to about fifteen kilometres in certain areas.
• Human Activities:
  • Infringement into riparian lands, flooding, inadequate/unsustainable drainage methods, uncontrolled urban sprawl and land/forest degradation.

Concerns

• More than 50 people killed and 360000 people affected in a single year.
• Crop area loss of 82,503 which affected the people’s source of income.
• The natural geography of Guwahati has a concave area at the top and destroyed drains resulting in serious water logging and flash floods in the city.
• Depending on the embankments that were constructed during the 1960s-1970s, which cannot prevent the floods any longer.

Government Response

• Brahmaputra Board (1982) to undertake the construction of dams and reservoirs although it created controversies.
• Construction of embankments, flood walls, river training work, bank protection work and anti-erosion measures as well.
• Works relating to sustainability and improvement of existing embankments’ infrastructure.
• Solutions that include updating flood control facilities, drawing on indigenous knowledge and putting in place warning systems; however, there are still some unfulfilled recommendations.

Possible Solutions

• Renovations of present structures and systems of flood control such as new levies and river dredging.
• Ensuring high risk early warning systems with adequate / up to date weather station and sirens.
• Applying the strategy of accommodating indigenous practices and knowledge in designing flood resistant homes and methods of construction.
• Greater coordination between the states in the Northeast region and the federal government in terms of engendering and implementing long-term methods of experiencing floods.
• The use of sound planning and provision of better drainage systems in vulnerable cities such as Guwahati.

Conclusion

• It shall also be noted that the floods that are annual occurrence in Assam necessitates a solution focused on modern infrastructure in the form of state-of-the-art flood management systems, warning system and sustainable development involving urban planning in areas prone to flooding or future development.

Sources:

Indian Express