Manipur Violence – What are the Reasons?

Quick glance:

• A clash took place between the Meitei-ank-kuka community of Manipur.

• More than 142 people have been killed in the dispute.

• Opposition parties demanded the resignation of Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh.

Recently, the video of a woman, who were molested by the protesters of the Meitei has gone viral. As a result, the resignation of CM N. Biren Singh is demanded by the people. 

The European Union Parliament passed the resolution on Manipur violence and condemned the Manipur violence. However, the Indian Government criticized the European Union Parliament by saying Manipur is an internal matter of India and the EU does not have any right to speak on it. 

Olympic medalist MC Mary Kom had also urged the central government to stop the Manipur violence. More than 10,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and 142 people have been killed in Manipur violence since the violence started on May 3. 

According to media reports, about 220 churches have been destroyed by the Meitei protesters. Similarly, about 17 temples had been destroyed by the Kuki protesters.

Manipur Location:

Manipur is one of the seven sister states that are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland. It shares the international border with Myanmar and national borders with the three states of Mizoram, Nagaland, and Assam. The Capital of Manipur is Imphal. The ruling government in Manipur is led by N. Biren Singh. (BJP)

Population Structure of Manipur:

This state is home to about 3 million people. Manipur’s population is composed of tribal and non-tribal populations. The tribal population includes the Nagas and Kukis, and their percentage in the total population is 40%. These tribal people mostly reside in the hilly areas of Manipur.

On the other hand, the non-tribal population of Manipur is the Meitei community. They are 53% of the total population and reside mostly in the valley area of Manipur.

It is to be noted that the Kuki community is mostly Christian, while the Meitei community, in majority, follows the Hindu religion.

Some Facts About Manipur:

1. The official language of Manipur is Manipuri, which is one of the 22 scheduled languages of the constitution.
   
2. Manipur is also called the Jewel Land of India, as it is surrounded by nine hills with a valley at its center.
   
3. The world’s only floating park, Keibul Lamjao National Park, is situated in Loktak Lake in Manipur. This park is home to a deer species called Sangai. Sangai is the national animal of Manipur.

Reasons for Manipur Violence

Demographic differences in Manipur are the major reason for Manipur violence.

1. The state government clamps down on the settlement of the Tribal population in protected forest areas by saying it is an encroachment. The tribal population was in great anger after this action. To show their disagreement with the government, the event, which was to be attended by the CM, was set on fire by the protesters. The government announced the curfew in the state and imposed Article 144.

2. After the coup in Myanmar, refugees started to migrate to Manipur. These refugees share the same ethnicity as the Kukis. The Meitei community was scared that the refugees might increase the majority of Kuka and Nagas in the state. Tensions started to rise when the Meiti community demanded that they should be added to the scheduled tribe.

3. The immediate cause of the Manipur violence is Manipur High Court’s advice to the state government. The High Court on March 27, 2023, directed the State government that the Meitei community should be considered one of the Scheduled Tribes. After it, clashes took place between the Meitei community, Kukis, and Naga. The army was deployed to deal with Manipur violence and given the order to shoot at sight. 

4. The scheduled tribe population, which includes Nagas and Kukis, has been given some rights, such as buying land in the valley areas of the Meitei community, and they have also been given reservations in educational institutions and government jobs.

5. Meitei people complain that the tribal population can buy the lands in the valley, however, they are not allowed to buy land in the hilly areas, and they consider it discrimination.

On the other hand, Nagas and Kukis are of the opinion that the Meitei are already a majority in the state. Also, they have been given 40 seats out of 60 in the legislative assembly. So there is no need to give the status of a scheduled tribe to the Meitei community.

Reaction of the Central Government:

After the clash took place in Manipur, the central government sent paramilitary forces and the army to Manipur from different parts of the country to deal with Manipur violence.

When the clashes rose, the government also deployed additional CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), Border Security Force (BSF), and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The government also imposed a curfew in the state and shut down the Internet. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah also visited Manipur in June and met with representatives from the Meitei and Kuki communities.

The Home Minister also requested that both communities initiate a dialogue in preference to maintaining peace and stopping violence.

However, the opposition parties criticized Modi because he didn’t say a word about the violence. As a consequence, the opposition proposed a non-confidence motion in Parliament against the central government. But the government led by Modi defeated this motion.

In short, both communities should resolve their conflicts through dialogue, and after peace is restored in the state, a proper investigation should be held by the higher authorities.