MANIPUR MAYHEM OF HIMALAYAN MAGNITUDE

Manipur was originally called as Kangleipak from 33 – 154 BC.  

During the reign of Emperor Pamheiba Garib Niwaz (1709–1748), the name of the kingdom was changed from "Kangleipak" into "Manipur". 

Manipur is called a Jewel of India because it is surrounded by nine hills with an oval-shaped valley at the center – resembling a jewel.

Manipur is one of the 8 North-Eastern States. Its neighboring country is Myanmar. 

Manipur Centre Region is the Imphal valley consisting of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur – these regions being densely populated and dominated by the Meitei people, whereas the outer districts are primarily hilly, sparsely populated and dominated by non-Meitei people – especially Kukis and Nagas.  The people in the valley are predominantly Hindus and those in the Hills are primarily Christians.

Orange Portion of the map of Manipur above – the dense urban valley region - is inhabited by Meitei Hindus and that of Green Portion by Meitei-Pangal Muslims.

And the other major areas of Blue Portion in the map of Manipur above – the sparsely populated hilly regions - are inhabited by Zo and Kuki Christians. 

Hence, the central area is the Imphal Valley constituting about 10% of the area with 57% of the population predominantly belonging to the Meitei group, and to a lesser extent, the Pangals.  

The land surrounding the Imphal Valley constitutes 90% of the land with 43% of the people -the Naga dominating the northern districts and the Kuki dominating the south. 

Total Population of Manipur is around 28.56 lacs - Meiteis accounting for about 53%,  Kukis and Nagas accounting for 40% and others 7 %.   

Meiteis are spread across Bangladesh and Mayanmar – Their language Meiteilon is one of 22 recognized tongues in the eighth schedule of the constitution. 

83% of Meiteis are Hindus - 8.4 % Meiteis being Muslims & Meiteis Christians around 1%. 

In the total population of around 28.56 lacs, Hindus account for 14.37 lacs, Christians account for 11.79 lacs, Muslims account for 2.40 lacs. 

Due to Christian Missionaries Efforts of Propaganda for Conversion, between the 1961 and 2011 censuses of India, the Hindus in the state declined from 62% to 41%, while Christians rose from 19% to 41%. 

Manipur State Assembly has 60 Assembly Constituencies - 19 reserved for ST and the rest 41 seata are unreserved. Of the total unreserved MLA Seats of 41, 40 are in the Imphal valley and of these 39 have returned Meitei legislators in the last election—the Meiteis have always dominated the state and state apparatuses. 

Tribal Manipur Regions with ST status Kukis-Nagas domination have only 19 Seats thereby limiting their political power in the democratic set up. 

Hence Kukis-Nagas have become militants to protect their interests relying more on guns than ballots.In Manipur, there are at least four valley-based armed groups, several Naga groups and nearly 30 Kuki armed insurgent organizations. 

Those closely connected with political power took advantage of the tumultuous situation, and the state became the site of rampant gun-running and narco- and human-trafficking. 

Northeast politicians have reported intimidation by opposing armed groups, and civil society organizations in Manipur emphasized that the 2022 elections were overshadowed by “open intimidation” from militant groups and violence across polling stations. This has led to “democracy at gunpoint” in this fragile region. 

Two Kuki-based militant outfits — the Kuki National Army and the Zomi Revolutionary Army are in the forefront to protect Kukis-Nagas with modern weapons looted from the Police Station, Indian Military Forces and supply from the Myanmar Military Regime.

These Militant Groups mint money from Poppy Cultivation in Manipur and such drug money was used to buy and equip themselves with weapons to fight the Police and Indian Military Forces. 

Of the 15,497 acres of land where poppy cultivation was found in the past five years, 13,122 acres were in Kuki-Chin-dominated areas, 2,340 acres in Naga-dominated areas and 35 acres under others. 

The present Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's drive against drugs and poppy cultivation had resulted in the destructions of 18,664 acres of poppy plantations from 2017 to 2023, data from Manipur's special anti-drugs unit Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB).

Most of the villages affected by this drive are inhabited by the Kuki community, which, as many social observers say, has resulted in racial profiling. 

Manipur Against Poppy Cultivation (MAPC), a movement initiated by scholars, social and political thinkers and legal luminaries, appreciates Biren Singh's drive against poppy cultivation but it could not stop the protests from Naga-Kukis Militant Groups. 

Added to this drive against Poppy Cultivation, the eviction drive, which began in February, declared the forest dwellers as encroachers and was seen as anti-tribal. It caused alarm and discontent not only among the Kukis, who were directly affected, but also among other tribals who have villages within reserved forest areas. The tribals say they have been inhabitants of the forests even before the forests were notified. 

With the fragile Manipur political status, the Manipur High Court Judgement on 20th April 2023 approving the long standing demand of Meitei for ST Status like Kukis had triggered wide spread riots and violence and destructions of properties and loss of human lives through out Manipur.

The judge of the Manipur High Court directed the state government to "consider request of the Meitei community to be included in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.“

The High Court of the state found that denying the Meiteis the right to be included in the STs List was violating their right to equality, life and dignity that are enshrined under Article 14 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Furthermore, the High Court has given the state government a period of four months to send in their recommendations to the center regarding the inclusion of the Meiteis community in the order of the STs.

But, the Kukis feared that the ST status would allow the Meiteis to purchase land in the prohibited hilly areas.

Tribal bodies such as the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) have been vehemently opposing the inclusion of the Meiteis into the STs List claiming that according ST status to them will harm the economic and cultural interests of the hill people. ATSUM called for a march named the "Tribal Solidarity March" on 3 May, which turned violent.

Reportedly, more than 60,000 protesters participated in this march. During the violence on 3 May, residence and churches of the mostly Kuki Tribal population were attacked in the non-tribal areas. 

The violence has resulted in over 75 deaths and the burning of at least 1,700 buildings (including homes and religious sites). More than 35,000 people are currently displaced as well, with many now living in one of the 315 relief camps in the state.  According to the police, many houses of the tribal population in Imphal were attacked and 500 occupants were displaced and had to take shelter in Lamphelpat. Around 1000 Meiteis affected by the violence also had to flee from the region and take shelter in Bishnupur. Twenty houses were burnt in the city of Kangpokpi.

'Justice for Tribals' rally in Aizawl, Mizoram and the warning to the Meiteis living in Mizoram due to the public outrage caused by the video that showed two Kuki women being paraded naked by a Meitei mob during the violence in Manipur had resulted in the exodus of Meiteis to Assam fearing fatal attacks. 

As a retaliation, All Assam Manipuri Students' Union issued a warning asking the Mizos in Assam to vacate South Assam, popularly called Barak Valley and it becomes never ending enmities between neighboring States of Manipur, Mizoram and Assam. Such being the reality, Manipur problem had become complicated affecting neighboring States.

There is a certain view amongst mainstream commentators that the Manipur violence was triggered by a single event—the Manipur High Court's April 19 order to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community.

The Major flare up happened on July 19, 2023, when a video went viral showing two Kuki women, one aged in her 40s and one in her 20s being stripped, paraded naked on the streets, slapped and sexually assaulted by apparently Meitei men.

The women were forcibly taken away from the police station when they were fleeing the violence hit areas by a mob.

The younger victim were gang raped and one of the victims' father and teenage brother were killed by the mob while trying to protect the victim.

Despite the complaint being lodged no action was taken by the police for more than 2 months until the video emerged.

The Kuki community have accused the police of siding the Meitei community.

The video emerged after more than two months since the incident took place as internet was shut down in Manipur.

On knowing about the horrible incident of women being paraded naked in the street and the delay of police action, the Supreme Court had issued an open warning to the State and Central Governments that the court will intervene if the government doesn't act.

The case has now been transferred to the CBI for further investigations and re-registering of the FIR has been done. But the victims were not for transferring of the case to the CBI and it was not known why the victims were objecting to the transfer of the case to the CBI.

The Opposition Parties continue to disrupt the proceedings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha demanding that the PM Modi should make a statement about Manipur Shameful Incidents and that they were not ready to listen to any other ministers including Amit Shaw who, being a home minister, is directly responsible in dealing with the violent incidents. 

The Opposition had also brought a No Confidence Motion against Modi Government for the mishandling of Manipur Ugly Episodes.

Unless Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas wanted Peace in Manipur wholeheartedly forgetting their greedy and militant approaches and embracing genuine needy and amicable and practical solution with accommodative spirits   of ‘Live and Let Live’, Solution and Peace to Manipur Problem are a distant dream.  It becomes a nightmare to all Peace Loving and Nationalist Indians. 

LET MANIPUR BECOME REALLY A JEWEL OF INDIA AGAIN.