Against the grains of fanaticism and exclusion: Politics of forgetting
"Why do you think our communities swiftly united amidst the violence during the prolonged identity crisis?” “Would this cohesion have occurred had the attacks been situated at a specific village inhabited by the Kukis?”. Many of the participants in my research noted that the assaults by Meitei mobs and radicals on the Zo ethnic tribes in Imphal compelled the different Zo tribes to unite, as everyone was equally affected. Some argue that if the attacks had initially targeted a specific Kuki village, such as those in Kanggui, the Zomis in Lamka or the Hmars in Pherzawl might have eventually distanced themselves from the experience. The Imphal massacres and the mass Zo exodus from the Imphal Valley were pivotal in our solidarity, yet the public memory appears to have faded as the attacks post the Imphal pogrom predominantly targeted Kuki villages (although a few Hmar villages also suffered severely). This piece elucidates the power of fanaticism and exclusion, which ultimately manifest as a politics of public memory. In this brief narrative, I seek to offer brief and shallow observations to counteract the trap of political amnesia that is reflected through differential forms of power. The following is an observation on forms of power that are instrumentalized throughout the period of violence.
Power of forgetting: De-centering collective loss at Imphal The phenomenon of public memory is inherently fleeting, with recollections of past events often fading into the background as new incidents take precedence. In the case of the Imphal atrocities against the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar, although they loom large as a collective experience just one year ago, they may appear distant compared to more recent attacks on Kuki villages at the borders or buffer zones. The ways in which memory is deliberately organized affects how events like the Imphal pogrom are recollected, documented and even discarded. In the ongoing violence affecting the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar communities, our collective memory tends to prioritize the immediacy of border (Kuki) village attacks over the historical significance of the Imphal exodus and massacre. This selective memory process marginalizes the experiences of minority groups like the Zomi and Hmar. For instance, when discussing specific incidents such as the Paite Veng exodus, framing the narrative solely within the context of the broader Kuki experience overlooks the unique suffering of the Paite-Zomi community. By universalizing the collective experience under the banner of the Kuki identity, the distinct perspectives of minority groups risk being overshadowed and eventually forgotten. This selective discarding of narratives influences how histories are constructed and written, ultimately shaping the politics surrounding historical accounts at the advantage of the Kukis.
Power of gaslighting: Normation of Kuki fanaticism. At the core of any manifestation of fanaticism lies an unwavering commitment to an object or ideology, pursued with an intense fervor. Broadly defined, fanaticism encompasses both this fervent dedication and the devotion to a singular identity, often resulting in conflicts and violence. In this context, Kuki fanaticism is characterized by normation, in a Foucauldian sense, of their worldview onto minority groups, leading to assimilation attempts. In contrast, Zomi identity, although historically prevalent, emerges as a reaction and resistance to such assimilative tendencies. It's important to note that fanaticism, here of the Kukis, seem to be ingrained in their everyday lifeworld without the individual recognizing it, often due to the high degree of the Kuki subjects coming into conformity with a pre-determined norm, that reduces self-reflection when such norms are played out in relation to the other. However, it must be mentioned that fanaticism is not inherently negative if it does not inflict harm on others. Kuki fanaticism often travels with the mood to encroach, both politically, substantially, emotionally, and subjectively. On the other hand, Zomi fanaticism, in Lamka, is relational, bound to a territorial encompassment, and does not attempt to inflict political harm, encroachment, or even impose identities. It rather respects and negotiates with competing identities, which is visible through the Southern Manipur Autonomous District Council proposal which subordinates identity for a broader prospect of diversity and unity. Against these odds, Kuki fanaticism persists and continues to be praticalized, for example, through chanting "Kuki homeland" at the heart of Lamka in December 2023, perpetuating the narrative of assimilation and reinforcing the imposition of a singular identity.
This brief overview and initial observations are intended to prompt a critical examination of how we conceptualize our collective struggle and address the enduring issues we face going forward.
Suanmuanlian Tonsing is a doctoral student at the School of Information, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Views expressed are personal.
Power of exclusion: What “being Kuki” means to the assimilated Other Exclusion, colloquially referred here to as "being Kuki," underscores a broader issue of identity imposition within societal discourse. The power of exclusion of the Zomi and Hmars by the Kukis in the larger mainstream narratives entails inclusion into historical Kuki controversies. Despite shared ancestral ties and historical trajectories in the highland/upland regions, the Hmar, Zomi, and Kuki communities do not uniformly experience history, particularly post-Indian Independence. It is crucial to recognize that while the Hmar and Zomi communities may engage in collective efforts towards shared political autonomy, they do not necessarily align in their historical narratives. For instance, political assimilation among the Zomi and Hmars into the Kuki fold entails embracing: i) historical events such as the Naga and Kuki conflicts, and conflicts with other communities across Northeast India, ii) the relational and loyal dynamics between the Meiteis and the Kukis. Regrettably, the Hmar and Zomi communities do not find themselves immune to such controversies. The concept of "being Kuki" represents an extension of colonial structures and their enduring influence, at a time when the global community is at pains to dismantle the legacy left behind by the age of colonization.
Gaslighting as a political establishment
Surprisingly, this fanaticism seems to become the norm in the minds of the lay persons, who are emotionally engaged and intellectually disengaged from critical thinking. The normation of fanaticism is perpetuated through the dissemination of propaganda aimed at gaslighting. Gaslighting, in this context, refers to the deliberate manipulation of public perception regarding the Zomi community. Farah Latif, a communications expert from George Washington University in the United States, highlights the techniques employed in political gaslighting, which involve the deceptive and manipulative use of information to destabilize and disorient public opinion on political matters.
This technique of gaslighting aligns with our previous observation regarding the power of public memory. Particularly the period post the Imphal exodus and massacre has a disproportionate impact on the Kukis residing along the borders with the Meiteis in Manipur. Exploiting these collective atrocities, Kuki propagandists often deflect blame onto the Zomi community, thereby obstructing collective reflection of the Kuki-Zomi-Hmars on their traumatic struggles in Imphal. For instance, when faced with attacks on their controversially "shared" border areas with the Meiteis (and Nagas), Kuki propagandists frequently shift blame to the Zomis. This tactic aims to divert attention from the Kukis' failure to defend these border regions. To illustrate the irrationality of this discursive move, consider a case where a Paite village at the Indo-Myanmar border areas were to come under attack by the Meiteis. The Zomi community, based on the Kuki logic, could likewise unjustly criticize the Kukis for their perceived lack of assistance.