Manipur, the North-East state between Burma and Nagaland, is entangled in conflict. Violence broke out between the ethnic Metei community and the Kuki tribe. Both these tribes have animosity that dates back to history at the time of independence. The conflict was ignited by a court ruling in March. It stated the majority Metei tribe was entitled to the same economic and social status in education and government jobs as the minority community Kuki. The attacks on the Kuki villages and communities were initiated by the Meitei tribe. Villages have burned down, and the more than 250 churches of the Kuki Christian community are destroyed.
Meitei gangs started attacking Kuki residences in Imphal, the state capital, and Kuki people who tried to leave the city for the hills, where they hold a majority of the land, were attacked. Meitei militias, numbering in the hundreds or even thousands, also destroyed Kuki settlements.
Incident Details
On the 29th of August, Tuesday morning, Salim Jotin Singh, a resident of Naranseina, was shot and sustained a bullet injury. This incident led to a firing between the Kuki and Meitei communities. There was firing between the communities for 36 Hours in the hills and valleys of Bishnupur District. An official added that the army and Assam rifles were present on the spot. The situation was dreadful till the firing stopped on Wednesday night. There was the use of mortars and automatic guns.
There were two soldiers from the Indian Reserve Batallion who were controlling the fire. They were shot brutally by one of the attackers and sustained bullet injuries. The other civilians who sustained injuries have also recovered. The officers died from a bullet wound and misfiring. In order to restore stability in Manipur, IRB with the army have been positioned in the ongoing conflict in the northeastern state. A total of 157 people have died, 50,000 have lost their homes.
Discovery of Explosives
Security personnel have also discovered explosives and three IEDs in addition to at least 13 grenades,10 grenade launchers, an M-16 rifle, and other weaponry from two different locations in the forested areas of Imphal West and Thoubal districts.
Conclusion-Current Update by the Government
Though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which controls both the state and the federal governments, has stated that things have started to quiet down, occasional conflicts have continued to break out. The government have warned that Manipur is still on the verge of civil war. The Kukis’ long-standing demand for their own separate state has intensified the hostilities. The violence, according to Kuki groups, has shown they can no longer live in safety under the restrictions of a Meitei-dominant state. They have vowed to keep fighting until their own state is protected. The formation of a separate Kuki state is opposed by the Meitei tribe and the State government.
