An observation of the present unrest in Manipur - Part 1 -

RK Somorjit Singh *

Manipur is situated in the North Eastern part of India, neighbouring Myanmar. The Meetei/Meiteis, Kabuis and Tangkhuls, Mao, Maram, Paomei, Thangal, Anal, Maring etc. broadly known as Nagas of Manipur and Khongjais which nowadays are known as Kukis are also treated as indigenous people of Manipur; although Kukis are mainly from Myanmar. And majority of Kuki population are newly migrated from Myanmar through illegal means. Influx is still going on in a planned manner in Manipur through the porous borders of Manipur-Myanmar and Mizoram-Myanmar.

The majority of Meetei/Meitei population mostly live in the valley areas and nearby hill sides, along with a large chunk at border area of Moreh and Kwatha Village and a sizable population at Churachandpur district of Manipur scattered till Mizoram border. And Nagas and Kukis prefer to live in the hill areas.

Some Nagas and Kukis are also living in the valley areas. The total surface area of Manipur is 22,327 sq.km. consisting of hill areas covering an area of 20,089 sq. km., valley areas covering an area of 2,238 sq. km., Forest areas covering an area of 15,154 sq. km. and central plain area covering an area of 1843 sq. km.

And Manipur shares 532 kms. of international borders with Myanmar which is totally porous in nature not fenced properly due to many reasons. Almost everyday huge quanitity of drugs worth crores of Rupees in the international market are reported being seized in local daily newspapers which are being brought from Myanmar. Here the sad thing is 80% of drug smugglers are found belonging to the Kuki community ! Vast poppy plantation are still going on in the far and dense forest areas inhabited largely by the Kuki community.

The Government of Manipur has declared “War on Drugs” and tried to eradicate poppy cultivation from the hill sides but cannot succeed fully due to the involvement of many influential persons. Very recently 77 bags of poppy seeds were also seized from a Kuki family near Mantripukhri during the recent unrest.

Very recently Chief Secretary is replaced by Vinit Joshi after the intervention of Government of India during this ongoing riot/arson in Manipur. There are reports that many information are diverted or not delivered in time as Kukis are holding key posts of the State Administration, including the top echelons of the State Police Department !

And due to large number of illegal influx of Kukis from Mynamar and Muslims from Bangladesh, the rate of growth of population in Manipur is absolutely non-proportionate to other Indian States. The demography of Manipur is completely changed and destroyed due to this illegal influx. So, some valley based CSOs and student organisations have started to damand implementation of NRC in Manipur at the earliest. Here the State Government of Manipur has also started to set up a Population Commission in Manipur in recent days.

On the 8th April, 2023 in an outlawed manner, a group of Kuki Militants so called “Kuki Independent Party” snatched/ looted all arms from a designated camp of Kuki Militants under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) located at Churachandpur district. In the last week of April, 2023 State Govt started to remove some houses and Churches of Kukis which were built illegally after encroaching on the reserved/protected forest area of the State after giving a legal notice from the Court.

Somehow the people building those structures believed that all the hill areas are reserved only for tribals and the State Government of Manipur has no right to intervene.

They also think that the removal of their illegally built houses and Churches following a Court verdict is an ill-treatment and wrong administration against the Kukis done by the Government of Manipur ! From these incidents the Kukis became agitated and started to organise mass rallies against the State Government with the assistance and instructions from the suspected Kuki militants.

On the 27th April, 2023 an “Open Gym” which was supposed to be inaugurated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Manipur at Churachandpur was set on fire just one day before its inauguration date, by a large number of Kuki people incited by the those suspected Kuki Militants. On the 28th April 2023, so called “Indigenous Tribal Leader’s Forum (ITLF) declared total shut down at Churachandpur district. Then District Magistrate of Churachandpur imposed CrPC 144 section in the district immediately.

But, on the 29th April, 2023 a bandh was organised by some CSOs of Churachandpur to protest against the removal of houses and Churches (which were built encroaching on the reserved/protected forest area of Manipur) by the State Government. A mass rally was organised on that day and the crowed shouted slogans using unparliamentary words against the CM of Manipur such as “Biren Shakthu” which is a very derogative word in Manipuri language and started the violence by pelting stones towards the security forces.

It was meaningless of the CrPC 144 Section in the district and they violated the order of the District Magistrate. The law and order situation in Churachandpur totally collapsed. One Meitei/Meetei sacred temple was demolished by the Kukis on that fateful day and one Forest Range Office was also set on fire by them.

Again, on 3rd May, 2023 when the Honourable Vice-President of India Shri Jagdish Dhankarji was scheduled to arrive for the fast time in the State for laying foundation stones for several Kendra Vidyalayas (Central Schools), a mass rally was organised in the name of ‘Solidarity Rally’ in the hill districts including Churachandpur to protest the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe list of Indian Union.

Many Kuki millitants holding sophisticated arms - like AK Rifles and others participated in the rally of Churachandpur which is very much visible in viral videos and local TV News Channels. In the late afternoon, the participants started attacking the innocent Meetei/Meitei villagers and demolished so many houses after ransacking and burning them down.

Innocent Meitei/Meetei community including female population and children were beaten severely without any reason. So far 16 (sixteen) Forest Offices were set on fire in 3 (three) hill districts, viz - Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts of Manipur intentionally damaging totally the public properties.

One Godown of a “Licensed Arms Dealer” was completely vandalised and looted in Churachandpur, by the rioters. And one of the age old temple of Meitei/Meetei community, the “Kondong Lairembi” (A very sacred Goddess) at Moreh under the Tengnoupal district of Manipur surrounded by the Kuki Community, who were settled illegally in recent years, was set on fire and totally demolished by the Kuki rioters.

And one important Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva, popularly known as “Mahadev of Koubru Leikha” located under Kangpokpi district was also vandalized and totally demolished by the Kukis. So far 8 (eight) temples in Churachandpur district were demolished by Kuki rioters.

The Meetei/Meitei community people felt threatened and started retaliation against the Kukis. Many houses of Kukis in Imphal City and villages nearby hill sides were also demolished and set fire by Meitei youths in retaliation after the attacks on Meetei/Meitei community by the Kukis.

Some selected Churches which was supposed to be sponsored by the Kukis in the city and villages were also set on fire by the angry mob as a sign of retaliation after the attacks on innocent Meetei/Meiteis by the Kukis. At the same time some innocent Kukis also lost their lives during the retaliation by angry mob after the attacks by Kukis at Churachandpur and other areas.

So, due to the multiple incidents of violence in the State, the Central Government imposed Article 355 of the Indian Constitution, in Manipur for security rearrangement to handle the situation. But on the other side many arms were looted from the police stations/out posts by the angry Meetei/Meitei mob in the valley areas and Kukis in the hill areas. And at the same time many innocent Meetei/Meitei people were kidnapped and butchered in the hills after the riots of Churachandpur and its nearby areas.

Even one Manipur Police Commando personnel of Bishnupur district was shot dead and there were injured during an ambush by the Kuki Militants near the hill sides of Tronglaobi at Bishnupur district, Manipur. Not only that 2 (two) Assam Rifles personnel were also severely injured during the ambush by the Kuki Militants at Dolaithabi and Pukhao areas of Imphal East district of Manipur. And one personnel of Assam Rifles is declared dead as of now.

Thus, there is no meaning of suspension of operation (SoS) signed between Government of India and Kuki Militants looking at the recent incidents. Its been also reported that not only Kuki Militants under SoO with Government of India, many Kuki Militants based out of Myanmar are actively involved in this ongoing arson/riot/ambushes.

Though curfew is imposed in the State, the law and order situation in the hill areas of the State seems to be not under proper control. Many houses were still set on fire, in front of the security personnel of the Central Government at Churachandpur district. So far it has been reported officially that 73 (seventy three) lives were lost from both the communities and 5 (five) Meeteis/Meiteis are reported still missing (as on 15th May, 2023).

During the curfew hours, the law and order situation in the valley areas is completely under control for now. Many arms which were taken from the State security outposts in the name of self defence were given back to the security personnel, only by the Meetei/Meiteis as a sign of obedience to the law of the land, whereas it is not so from the side of Kukis in the hill areas. Again a large number of vehicles including passengers and goods trucks are still stranded on the National Highways, unable to reach Imphal.

to be continued.....