MANIPUR, India: Wearing homemade vests, the four young men – all belonging to the majority Meitei community, who largely follow Hinduism – are kneeling in the makeshift bunker facing out over a lush green paddy field. They have to protect themselves because they don’t think anyone else will.
As their guns rest on a wall of cement sacks and Bamboo poles prop up the corrugated tin roof, they train their weapons – mostly old single and double-barrelled shotguns – on a rival bunker less than a mile away. A belt of cartridges can also be seen hanging from one of the poles.
The men are all civilian members of a “village defence force” – among them a driver, a labourer, a farmer, and Tomba (fake name to protect his identity). Tomba ran a mobile phone repair shop before the deadly ethnic conflict erupted in May in India’s north-east Manipur state.
In the remote northeastern state of Manipur, India, a once-peaceful region is now marred by escalating violence and deepening divisions, said a comprehensive report by BBC News. What was once a tranquil corner of the world’s fastest-growing major economy has transformed into a battleground reminiscent of heavily militarized borders separating warring nations. This unsettling reality has pushed Manipur’s residents, particularly the majority Meitei community, into a state of fear and vigilance.
The tensions that have gripped Manipur are rooted in complex factors, including land rights, political influence, ethnic disparities, and a lack of government control. This article delves into the harrowing details of the ongoing crisis, featuring personal stories, eyewitness accounts, and the latest developments. It also explores the roles of security forces, the response of the Indian government, and the challenging path toward a lasting resolution.
The seeds of discord
Manipur, a state in India’s northeast, has a diverse population with various ethnic communities. The Meitei community predominates in the prosperous Imphal valley, comprising approximately 10% of Manipur’s territory. In contrast, the rest of the state, the relatively underdeveloped hill areas, houses minority groups, including the Kuki people, who have been granted tribal status—a constitutional safeguard aimed at preserving their land, culture, language, and identity.
Land ownership plays a pivotal role in the tensions. Meiteis are prohibited from buying land in the hills, while Kukis can purchase property anywhere in the state. This discrepancy has fueled resentment among the Meiteis, who perceive it as an injustice. On May 3rd, Kuki tribes staged rallies to protest the possible extension of tribal status to the Meiteis, a move they vehemently opposed.
The genesis of the violence is a matter of dispute. Kukis accuse hardline Meitei groups of launching orchestrated attacks against minority families residing in Imphal and its vicinity, while Meiteis contend that the violence began with the participants of the Kuki march. While it is difficult to independently verify the sequence of events, the initial casualties overwhelmingly belonged to the Kuki minority.
Unfolding horrors
The violence that erupted in Manipur left a trail of horror in its wake. Hundreds of homes, belonging to individuals from both communities, were set ablaze or destroyed. Churches and temples were burnt, adding a religious dimension to the conflict. It is estimated that approximately 60,000 people from both communities have been displaced, most of them still residing in schools, sports complexes, and other makeshift shelters, unable to return to their homes.
Tragically, the violence also took a gruesome turn involving brutal attacks against women. On May 4th, a mob of Meitei men allegedly paraded two Kuki-Zomi women naked, with the younger woman reportedly subjected to a gang rape, and her father and 19-year-old brother beaten to death. The mother of the victims, while devastated by the loss of her husband and son, is haunted by the traumatic treatment her daughter endured.
Despite a police complaint being filed in May, no investigation ensued until a video of the incident surfaced on social media in July. This delayed response sparked widespread outrage in India and internationally. It was during this time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence on the Manipur crisis, bringing the conflict to the forefront of national and international attention.
Govt involvement and distrust
In Manipur, a disturbing aspect of the ongoing crisis is the deep-seated distrust among the various communities towards both state and national security forces. The Manipur Police, which reports to the state government led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, is accused by Kukis of supporting violence against them, while Meiteis allege that the police failed to prevent the violence from spreading.
Adding to the complexity, troops from Assam Rifles, a counter-insurgency force reporting to the Indian national government, are stationed in Manipur. Meitei community members have voiced suspicions that Assam Rifles are siding with the Kukis in the conflict. Furthermore, several weapons were looted from police armories in Meitei-dominated areas.
The police and Assam Rifles have faced questions regarding their impartiality and the apparent failure to apprehend and check armed civilians for valid licenses. While the police have shared photos of recovered weapons on social media, the situation on the ground remains tense and volatile.
The presence of numerous armed, apprehensive civilians walking freely, sometimes even in the presence of security forces, underscores the absence of effective government control. This lack of oversight has allowed both Meitei and Kuki communities to fortify their positions and intensify their vigilance, making it challenging for any peacekeeping efforts to succeed.
The human toll
Amid this turmoil, the people of Manipur are caught in a cycle of violence, fear, and despair. The conflict has inflicted deep emotional wounds, with families on both sides grieving for loved ones who have fallen victim to the violence. In one heart-wrenching case, David Tuolor, a 33-year-old Kuki-Hmar man, was captured and killed by Meitei mobs, his severed head gruesomely displayed on a fence.
On the other side, Ngaleiba Sagolsem, a 29-year-old Meitei man, went missing near a Kuki-dominated area. A video later surfaced, showing him subjected to brutal beatings before being shot in the head and dumped into a ditch. These stories are emblematic of the horrors that have unfolded, leaving scars that may never heal.
Families continue to search for their missing loved ones, their lives plunged into an unending nightmare of uncertainty. The absence of dialogue between the conflicting sides and the inability of the police to access Kuki areas further exacerbate the anguish. For these families, the quest for answers and closure remains elusive, as Manipur’s crisis shows no signs of abating.
Reality and rhetoric
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that “peace is slowly returning to Manipur” contrasts starkly with the reality on the ground. The past few weeks have witnessed multiple instances of violence, including the abduction and killing of an Indian army soldier on leave.
While land rights issues and political disparities have fueled the tensions, an influx of people from tribes ethnically similar to the Kukis and illegal opium poppy cultivation have added to the discord. Residents of Manipur express dissatisfaction with the Manipur state government, with Kukis accusing it of supporting violence against them and Meiteis alleging a lack of intervention to halt the violence’s spread.
Many in the state believe that if the national government truly prioritizes a resolution, it possesses the means to swiftly address the crisis. The absence of decisive action and continued violence leave Manipur’s future uncertain, as thousands of armed, anxious civilians continue to endure the consequences of a conflict that refuses to subside.
The crisis in Manipur underscores the complexities and challenges of addressing deeply rooted ethnic tensions and violence. As communities remain divided, fears continue to fester, and the path to reconciliation and lasting peace remains uncertain. Manipur serves as a stark reminder of the human toll of unresolved conflicts and the urgent need for dialogue and intervention.
