Tensions Escalate as Manipur Prepares for Sangai Festival Amid Protests and Internal Displacement Crisis

KalimNews, Imphal, November 20, 2025 : Manipur's much-anticipated Sangai Festival, scheduled to begin tomorrow after a two-year hiatus, was thrown into turmoil on Thursday as protests erupted against the event. Security forces clashed with demonstrators, leaving at least three individuals injured. The unrest has cast a shadow over the 10-day festival, which will showcase cultural performances, sports, and adventure activities, despite mounting opposition from civil society groups and communities displaced by the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.

First held in 2010, the Sangai Festival was last celebrated in November 2022, but the event was shelved in 2023 and 2024 due to the intense ethnic violence that has ravaged Manipur since May 2023. The violence, primarily between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, has resulted in over 260 deaths and the displacement of approximately 60,000 people. With the situation still fragile, the state government has decided to revive the festival, believing it could help boost tourism and the local economy.

However, this plan has been met with fierce opposition from civil society organisations, particularly the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a prominent Meitei group. COCOMI, representing internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local residents, has called for the complete boycott of the festival, arguing that the focus should be on resettling displaced communities and restoring peace in the state, rather than on celebrating amidst ongoing suffering.

On Thursday, as tensions escalated, COCOMI led a protest march through Imphal. The demonstrators, carrying placards reading “Security and justice before festival façade” and “No peace, no Sangai festival,” marched towards Raj Bhavan to express their opposition to the state government’s decision. As the crowd approached the festival venue at Hapta Kanjeibung, a scuffle broke out when protesters attempted to breach the security barricades, prompting the police to use tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowd. Several protestors were injured in the ensuing clashes.

The protestors, many of whom are displaced by the violence, voiced their anger over what they perceive as the government’s misplaced priorities. “At a time when thousands of our people are still displaced and many families are grieving, holding an extravagant festival is nothing short of insensitive,” said a COCOMI leader. “We demand that the government restore our fundamental rights and ensure the safe return of all IDPs before any festivities take place.”

The unrest surrounding the festival reflects the deep divides within the state. While the government views the festival as an opportunity to revitalise the state's economy, which has been severely affected by the ongoing conflict, opposition groups argue that it is a symbolic gesture that ignores the humanitarian crisis unfolding across the state.

The controversy intensified on Thursday, just hours after a curtain-raiser event for the festival was held in Bishnupur district. The government is determined to proceed with the event, which will feature a range of activities, including musical performances, polo, a football tournament, and traditional art exhibitions. The British pop band Blue, scheduled to perform at the festival, is expected to attract significant attention, potentially drawing tourists from across the country. The festival’s organisers are betting on tourism to revitalise the local economy, especially with a dramatic drop in tourist arrivals over the past two years.

However, organisations such as COCOMI and the United Committee Manipur (UCM) have strongly criticised the decision to proceed with the event amid such unrest. The groups argue that the government is ignoring the wishes of the people and prioritising tourism over the resettlement of IDPs, the restoration of normalcy, and the healing of the state’s ethnic wounds. COCOMI has condemned the government’s handling of the situation and called on the public to join a mass sit-in on November 21, stating, “We will not take part in the Sangai Festival until our fundamental rights are restored.”

The issue has raised difficult ethical questions: Can a festival meant to promote unity and economic growth be held in a state still grappling with profound divisions? Some argue that the festival could offer an opportunity to include displaced people, providing them with platforms to showcase their talents and crafts and helping them integrate back into society. Others believe that the event, at this point, only serves to deepen the rift between the people and the government.

In response to the escalating protests, the state administration has maintained its position that the festival will go ahead as planned. Security has been heightened around the festival venues, with both state and central forces deployed to ensure the safety of participants. However, the clashes on Thursday and the growing opposition to the festival suggest that the event could be marred by continued unrest.

The ongoing ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which first erupted in May 2023, has resulted in significant loss of life and widespread displacement. Despite heavy security deployments, both communities remain unable to return safely to their homes. As of now, efforts to reconcile the two sides have largely failed, and the festival has become a focal point of this broader conflict.

The protest on Thursday also occurred against the backdrop of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s two-day visit to Manipur, his first since the violence broke out. The timing of the visit, alongside the festival, has only added to the sense of urgency and division within the state.

As the Sangai Festival is set to commence, the controversy surrounding it continues to grow, and the questions it raises remain unresolved. Can the government find a way to balance cultural celebration with the urgent need for peace and the resettlement of displaced families? Or is the insistence on proceeding with the event a sign of an administration out of touch with the concerns of the people it serves?

With deep divisions still present in the state, the next few days will be crucial in determining whether Manipur can move towards healing or if the Sangai Festival will become a symbol of the state’s fractured future.