Joint posting idea !
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 27, 2024 -

FEW days back after declaring that all the newly recruited Manipur police personnel, including those from Meetei and Kuki communities, will be posted together as a 'team' in an attempt to bring back peace, chief minister N Biren disclosed that the state government is in the process to facilitate the return of government officers who fled Imphal due to the conflict.

Though the chief minister did not elaborated much, it's obvious that he was referring to Meetei and Kuki employees forced to leave their place of posting.

Addressing the recruits of Manipur police belonging to the Meetei, Kuki, Naga, Muslim and other communities, numbering around 2000, who graduated from the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in Assam's Dergao on Monday, the chief minister called upon the police personnel not to harbour ill-will but to work as a team and contribute in expediting return of peace in the strife-torn state.

However, in view of acts of violence still occurring in the fringe areas, it is hard to believe that the newly inducted police personnel, especially those belonging to the warring Meetei and Kuki communities, would readily accept posting in hostile territories.

With civil society organisations of both the communities also alleging complicity of the state's forces ever since the conflict broke out, the new recruits are certain to be eager that the posting is allotted in neutral districts rather than in hostile territory as they, similar to the general population, would prioritise personal safety rather than serve the state and the citizens as is mandated under the constitution.

Even if the CM's proposal is enforced, the personnel concerned would never feel safe till there is reconciliation and genuine affability between the two communities.

Nevertheless, it is heartening to learn that some of the police graduates, who underwent rigorous training sessions to serve the state and nation, mingled freely and shared good memories during their yearlong stint at the Assam facility, would be returning to the state with the message of peace and love and strengthen the force.

Regardless of their assertion that having trained like brothers they are ready to serve Manipur together to spread the message of peace and love among the warring groups, peace continuing to elude the state for nearly 19 months since May 2023, means that the newly inducted police personnel would be put through even more strenuous tests in case they are deployed outside their home districts.

Some of the recruits were also quoted as saying that they received disturbing news from parents and relatives while training in the academy as a single unit, thereby implying that their endeavour to end the feud and foster camaraderie will fructify only after cessation of violence.

Notably, the chief minister's appeal, during the release of a wall calendar and diary for the year 2025 on Tuesday, to the public to pray for the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state, confirms that the situation is far from being conducive for either posting together of the Meetei and Kuki recruits, or re-joining of the officials, who left Imphal or their place of postings due to the violence, to their respective offices.

Even if fool-proof security arrangement seems feasible in the valley districts, where state and central forces are mostly concentrated, it could be safely stated that the same cannot be guaranteed in the Kuki-populated hill areas.