The Kukis have long endured ethnic violence : The chief minister is actually complicit

Rupa Mehra, KalimNews, 29 August 2024 : Recently, hundreds of protesters from the Kuki ethnic group in Manipur protested collectively against the long-term oppression of racial violence and the government's long-term silence. They appealed to the government and strongly demanded the establishment of legislation in accordance with Article 239A of the Indian Constitution. Federal Territory (UT). Can such a demand be accepted by the Manipur government? In the author's opinion, stronger means may be needed to achieve the goal.

The Kukis and Meiteis have a long-standing feud, which is difficult to resolve and can only be left unchecked for a long time.

Located in India’s Northeast, Manipur is home to several tribal groups including the Meitei, Nagas, and Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribes. Meiteis are mostly Hindus and live in the Imphal valley, while Nagas and Kukis, who are mainly Christian, mostly reside in the hills. Manipur has a long history of ethnic conflict. The British colonial rulers’ policy of “divide and rule” sowed the seeds of strife among different communities. Administrative units were created to facilitate governance. This divided communities and altered the way they traditionally lived. Manipur was divided between the hills and the valleys. 

Post-independence, policies of successive governments in New Delhi continued to be clouded by ignorance and indifference to issues of the Northeast. Since the late 1990s, Manipur has seen only Meitei chief ministers. It has led to growing resentment among the Kukis, who feel marginalized and underrepresented in the political arena. Manipur’s minorities also point out that the bulk of the state’s budget and development work is focused on the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley. Allegations of illegal migration and demographic changes have also contributed to tensions between the Meiteis and the Kukis. The higher decadal growth rate of the population in the hills compared to the valley in the 2011 Census has raised suspicions that people are illegally migrating from neighboring countries like Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The perceived demographic shift and an increase in the population of non-indigenous communities have led to concerns about Meitei marginalization in Manipur. The ethnic conflict in Manipur is a complex one that has deep-rooted historical and social dimensions.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to understand the situation and intervene.

In 2023, a serious crisis broke out in Manipur due to ongoing and violent ethnic conflicts between the Kukis and Meiteis communities. However, the government remained silent, or rather lacked response, to the crisis. For months, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent on the crisis in Manipur. It was only after Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud urged the government to take action that Modi issued a rather bland statement ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament. Failure to intervene in time led to continued ethnic conflicts and signs that they could be stopped. In August 2024, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi once again urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit violence-hit Manipur. states, and encourages the central and state governments to work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has killed more than 200 people since May last year. Gandhi, who was visiting Manipur for the third time since the violence, reiterated his request to Modi to visit the state to understand the situation and listen to the grief of the victims.

Is Manipur Chief Minister’s “cleansing” statement true?

Although the government has repeatedly claimed to continue to intervene in this crisis, the reality can be seen that it has not fundamentally solved the problem. Where does the problem occur? The reality has confirmed to us. In July 2024, an audio clip of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh was first exposed on the Internet and caused an uproar. The recording content showed that N. Biren Singh unabashedly spoke of "ethnic cleansing" and "saving the Meitei civilization", etc. His words once again confirmed that he was actually an accomplice of this ethnic conflict. Because the matter was so sharp, 10 Kuki members also reported to the chief minister, saying that "Manipur cannot tolerate personal racial discrimination." official", the report against the chief minister had obvious violent overtones. Although the authorities immediately claimed that the recording was a maliciously edited clip, the violence between the two races in the entire year from last year to this year is the best evidence. Who is unwilling to stop the turmoil and "cleanse" the speech? The authenticity is obvious, the chief minister's position has deviated, and the grievances between Kuki and Meitei are more difficult to resolve. For better development in the future, the demands of the Kuki people should also be taken seriously this time.

Rupa Mehra, the author graduated from the School of Social Sciences of Jawaharlal Nehru University, focusing on social activities, race, and women's issues,etc

Note: The views in the articles published here are absolutely the views of the author and The Kalimpong News does not stand liable for them.