Illegal influx blamed for demographic conflicts in NE
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 16 2025: Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has warned that illegal migration from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar is fueling demographic conflicts in the Northeast, threatening indigenous communities and destabilising the region's social and political balance.

Citing a 2017 United Nations Economic and Social Council report, MMTU, in a statement, said that Bangladesh, with a missing population of 163,187,000 in a habitable area of 135,358 square kilometres, sends an estimated 1,280 migrants illegally into the northeastern states daily.

MMTU said that many settle in areas where religion, language and ethnicity match existing populations, while Kuki-Chin groups fleeing Myanmar's conflict have been establishing new villages in Manipur, reportedly about 2,500 between 2017 and 2022 .

The union said that census data from the Government of India confirmed the presence of large numbers of outsiders in Manipur.

It rejected claims by some Meitei Pangal groups that there is no Muslim infiltration, terming the same as an attempt to "protect the immigrants and hide the truth".

MMTU said that Meitei Pangal who arrived in 1606 AD and their descendants are considered locals, as are those who came before 1951 or 1961.According to the 1961 census, Manipur's overall growth rate was 6.23 per cent, compared to 30.62 per cent for Meitei Pangal.

Between 1971 and 2011, the latter's growth ranged from 25.61 per cent to 46.06 per cent, while the state's overall rate was 6.62 to 8.81 per cent.

From 2001 to 2011, certain Meitei Pangal villages saw sharp increases, including Laphupat Tera at 105.73 per cent, Cherapur at 174.08 per cent, Huikap at 52.18 per cent and Phoubakchao at 41.76 per cent.

MMTU also highlighted census figures from hill districts showing population spikes unlikely to be caused by natural growth, including 136.33 per cent in Mao, 120.38 per cent in Purul and 100.18 per cent in Chakpikarong.

The union compared these to birth rates reported by the World Health Organisation and India's National Family Health Survey, 1.77 for Meetei and 2.34 for Meetei Pangal, arguing that the increases indicate significant immigration.

The union pointed to recent actions in Assam and Mizoram following a May 19 MHA notification to identify immigrants.

Assam authorities have removed encroachers from 120,000 acres and relocated many Bangladeshi Muslims.

Mizoram has documented 2,323 Myanmarese and 3,000 Bangladeshi Muslims, with biometric data collected.

MMTU said that it will not take any action harmful to the Meitei Pangal community in Manipur, but warned that unchecked migration exploits the state's weak economy, land resources and political situation.

This could damage the identity of Meitei Pangal who have lived in Manipur for generations, it cautioned.

The union then called for dialogue and fact-based debate rather than inflammatory statements on social media, while urging those disputing census data to seek clarification from the government and disclose the number of immigrants who have entered after 1951 or 1961 .

"It is time for the indigenous people and the different communities that have lived together for a long time to stand together and face this issue with a firm resolve," MMTU said.

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