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What's Keeping Manipur On The Boil? Explained
Manipur violence explained: The unrest began on May 3 following a demonstration by All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) organised in the ten hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Here is what led to tensions in the north eastern state.
Updated Jun 13, 2023 | 02:29 PM IST
A scooterist rides past a damaged water tanker that was set afire during a protest by tribal groups in Churachandpur in the northeastern state of Manipur, India, May 4
Photo : REUTERS
New Delhi: Burning houses, late night gunfights, panic-stricken faces and people fearing for their lives - more than a month after violence first erupted in Manipur, the state continues to burn despite efforts by both state and Central governments to bring the situation back to normal. The state witnessed a fresh killing on Monday when unidentified gunmen killed a 22-year-old man in a village of Churachandpur while governor Anusuiya Uikey was visiting relief camps for the displaced in the district. Two other persons were wounded in another attack near the border between Kangpokpi and Imphal East on the same day.
Earlier on Monday, armed assailants had raided the Khamenlok and Khopibung areas of Saikul assembly constituency in Kangpokpi around 10.45am, firing at a group of civilians and setting houses ablaze. Houses across Khopibung village were gutted. As per the official records close to 47,000 people have been evacuated in the violence-torn situation and hundreds of people lost their homes which were gutted in the violence.
Home Minister Amit Shah earlier visited the violence-hit state to review the situation but despite continuous efforts, there seems to endgame to tension. But why is the north-eastern state tense and what led to the violence which has claimed more than 100 lives and injured over 300 others in the last six weeks. Here we take a look at the factors responsible for the situation.
When Did Manipur Unrest Begin?
The unrest began on May 3 following a demonstration by All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) organised in the ten hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The march was held agaisnt the recent Manipur High Court order asking the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.
Before the unrest began on May 3, mass rallies had been held across hill districts, including Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Jiribam, and Tamenglong on March 10 itself. Thousands of members of the Kuki tribe had then protested the BJP-run government’s so-called selective targeting of Kukis. They had raised slogans against the eviction of residents from K Songjang village.
Who Is Clashing?
Meitei community: Based in the state’s capital city of Imphal, Meitei is dominant largely Hindu community and forms more than 50 percent of the state’s population of 3.5 million, as per India’s last census in 2011. They have been demanding a ST tag.
The Naga and Kuki tribes: These are two mostly Christian tribes and form around 40 percent of the state’s population. These two tribes already enjoy “Scheduled Tribe” status, which means they have land-owning rights in the hills and forests.
Notably, both sides have a long history of violent clashes and deep-running ethnic tensions.
What Led To Manipur Violence
- For about 10 years now, Meitei community in the state has been demanding for a Scheduled Tribe tag.
- Though there has been simmering tensions and anger, the recent High Court order led to the immediete violence.
- The court order triggered unrest and thousands of people participated in a 'Tribal Solidarity March' called by a student body in all the ten hill districts of Manipur to oppose the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST list.
- CM Biren Singh's move to protect the forest faces resistance from illegal immigrants and drug cartels is also seen as a key reason for the May 3 violence.
What Is The Current Situation?
It has been more than a month since the violence first hit Manipur but the people of the state remain in the shadow of panic and fear with one more death keeping the state on the boil. On June 12, one person was killed and two others were injured in two separate incidents. Houses were attacked and torched and nine more people were injured in a gunfight in the Khamenlok area in Imphal East district. Security forces have been deployed in the area in large numbers to prevent further outbreaks of violence and to carry out area domination exercises.
End of Article
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