Manipur, a picturesque state in the Northeastern part of India, is currently the site of ethnic violence. The violence has killed as many as 181 people, with many more injured. The ethnic groups involved in the violence now warn of a civil war.
So what really happened?
The history of the northeastern states in India is one of violence. For centuries, ethnic groups of the regions have been involved in violence. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives in tribal battles fought in the region. The latest ethnic violence is between two communities, namely Meitei and Kuki.
The Meitei people live in the Imphal Valley, whereas the Kuki community has found their homes in the surrounding hills.
According to a writ petition by the Meitei Tribe Union, the community demanded their group be granted the Scheduled Tribe status. The Manipur High Court then ordered the state government to recommend it to the central government, which would allow the ethnic group to come under the scheduled tribe status.
The “Scheduled Cast” status ensured that the Meitei community would be entitled to government jobs and economic benefits same as the Kuki community. In addition to the various benefits, the Meitei community was now free to buy land where the Kukis predominantly lived.
Fearful of the Meitei taking away their lands and jobs, the Kuki community began protesting mainly by student’s organizations.
An article published on The Guardian mentions the following:
“In the state capital, Imphal, Meitei mobs began targeting Kuki homes and attacked Kuki people who tried to flee the city for the hills, where they control much of the land. Kuki villages were also burned to the ground by Meitei militias numbering in their hundreds, sometimes thousands.
The court ruling was later stayed by the Supreme Court, which called it “factually wrong”, but by then the conflict had already taken hold.”
In the next episode, we will explore how the ethnic riots in Manipur unfolded.
Historically, the northeastern states of India have faced the brunt of ethnic violence. From insurgencies to the creation of separate states, the northeastern states have been a major concern for India for decades. While a lot has been done to maintain peace and order, a lot remains to be done.
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