Apathy Or strategy?

Manipuris deep-rooted, Iiery ethnic conflict-fuelled by apparent government inaction-is escalating amidst demands for autonomy, strained relations among communities, and tlle Centres reluctance to interoene for peace

- DIPANKAR DEY

Manipur has been burning since May 3, 2023 when an ethnic Violence erupted in this north-eastern land-locked state of 3.2 million people which shares 390 km of porous border with Myanmar. Over the last nineteen months, Violence in Manipu's Meitei and Kuki groups has resulted in the deaths of nearly 300 people and rendered around 1 lakh people homeless. In May last year, the ethnic violence broke out between the Hindu Meiteis, who mostly fall under the scheduled caste (SC) and other backward class (OBC) categories, and tribes-mostly Kuki and Naga-who usually live in hills and make up to 40 per cent of Manipur's population. These tribes are mostly Christians. The Meiteis make up 53 per cent of the population and live in the Imphal Valley. The fertile Valley makes up about a tenth of the total landmass of the state while the hills account for 90 per cent. The government in Manipur, regardless of which party comes to power including the present BJP government, has always been dominated by Meiteis. The current chief minister N Biren Singh belongs to the Meitei community.

Recent cycle of violence The recent cycle ofthe Meitei-Kuki ethnic Violence began on November 7 when a woman from the Hmar tribe, mother of three little children and school teacher, was allegedly raped, shot in the leg, killed and set on fire by suspected Meitei militants in Zairawn Village in Iiribam district, 220 km from the state capital Imphal, on the interstate border with Assam.

In retaliation, suspected Kuki militants in Iiribam murdered six members of a Meitei family, including an eight month old infant, a two-year-old boy, his 60-yearold grandmother and an eight-year-old girl, who were taken hostage by suspected Kuki militants. In less than two weeks, at least 19 people have died, including 10 Kuki men who the police have called "militants". However, the Kuki tribes claim the 10 men were "Village Volunteerst reports NDTV.