2023–2024 Manipur violence

2023 Manipur violence
Date	3−10 May 2023
Location	Manipur, India 24°36′N 93°48′E
Caused by	Ethnic tensions between Meitei and Kuki peoples in Manipur
Methods	Arson, rioting
Parties
Meitei people Kuki people Zo people Indian Army Assam Rifles
Casualties
Death(s)	73
Injuries	243
Damage	26,000+ temporarily displaced 46,000+ relocated to other areas
Location within India

An ethnic clash between the non-tribal Meitei people and tribal Kuki people erupted on 3 May 2023, in India's north-eastern state of Manipur. The violence killed at least 60 people, and injured at least a further 230. It began in Churachandpur district during the "Tribal Solidarity March" called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) to protest the granting of reservations to the majority Meitei community.

The Indian Army flew in close to 10,000 troops and paramilitary forces to restore law and order. Internet services in the state were suspended for a period of five days and Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code was invoked. The Indian troops were given "shoot on sight" orders to enforce the curfew in "extreme cases".

Background

Further information: Hill tribes of Northeast India, Ethnic relations in India, and Insurgency in Manipur

In February 2023, the BJP state government began an eviction drive in districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal, declaring the forest dwellers as encroachers which was seen as anti-tribal. In March 2023, five people were injured in a violent clash at Thomas Ground in Kangpokpi district where protesters gathered to hold a rally against "encroachment of tribal land in the name of reserved forests, protected forests and wildlife sanctuary". In the same month, the Manipur Cabinet withdrew from Suspension of Operation ceasefire agreements with the Kuki National Army and the Zomi Revolutionary Army.

On 11 April 2023, in Imphal's Tribal Colony locality, three churches were razed for being "illegal constructions" on government land, which led to more discontent and further fed into animosities on both sides.

On 20 April 2023, a single 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 Kukis feared that the ST status would allow the Meiteis purchase land in the prohibited hilly areas.

The Meiteis, who are largely Hindu and make 53% of the population, are prohibited from settling in the hilly regions of the state as per the Land Reform Act of Manipur, which limits them to reside in the Imphal Valley, constituting 10% of the state's land. The Tribal population, consisting of the Kukis and the Nagas, which form about 40% of the state's 3.5 million people, reside in the reserved and protected hilly regions consisting of the rest of the 90% of the state. The tribal population is not prohibited from settling in the valley region.

The Meitei people in the state suspect that there has been a huge increase in tribal population in the state which "cannot be explained by natural birth". They have been requesting the application of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state for identification of illegal immigration from Myanmar. The Kukis say that illegal immigration is a pretext under which the Meitei population wants to drive the tribal population from their lands. While the Kukis dominate the land ownership, the Meiteis dominate political power in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, where they control 40 out of 60 seats. However, out of 60 seats, 19 seats are reserved for STs i.e. for Naga or Kukis of Manipur, and 1 for SC i.e. Sekmai Constituency, 40 are unreserved general constituencies. 39 seats were won by Meitei in the unreserved general seat. Only one could be secured by Kuki i.e. Kangpokpi constituency.

The disputes over land and illegal immigration have been the primary root of tensions which have existed for decades. According to conflict analyst Jaideep Saikia, rapid Christianization of the tribal population of Manipur has contributed to the socio-cultural gap amongst the two groups in the state.

Overview

The Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, was scheduled to visit Churachandpur on 28 April and inaugurate an open gym. Before the inauguration could take place, on 27 April, the gym was set on fire by protestors. Section 144 of the IPC was invoked for 5 days and the police clashed with the protestors on 28 April. In Manipur, curfew was imposed across eight districts, including non-tribal dominated Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal, Jiribam, and Bishnupur districts, as well as tribal-dominated Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal districts.

Riots

Amidst the long-standing tensions between the Meitei and the Kuki people, a tribal organization called the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM), opposed to the decision of the Manipur High Court, called for a march named the "Tribal Solidarity March" on 3 May, which turned violent in the district of Churachandpur. Reportedly, more than 60,000 protestors participated in this march.Many evidences have come up showing that during the March, protestors were holding holding sophisticated arm weapons like a AK-47.

The violence was started in Kuki dominant Churchandpur areas as Kuki set fire to minority Meiteis' house in Churchandpur area on 3 May. During the violence, residence and churches of the mostly Kuki Tribal population were attacked in the non-tribal areas as a response from Meiteis. 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. Violence was observed in Churachandpura, Kakching, Canchipur, Soibam Leikai, Tenugopal, Langol, Kangpokpi and Moreh while mostly being concentrated in the Imphal Valley during which several houses, places of worship and other properties were burnt and destroyed.

On 4 May, fresh cases of violence were reported. The police force had to fire several rounds of tear gas shells to control the rioters. Kuki MLA Vunzjagin Valte (BJP), who is the representative of the tribal headquarters of Churachandpur, was attacked during the riots while he was returning from the state secretariat. His condition was reported to be critical on 5 May, while a person accompanying him died. The government said around 1700 houses and numerous vehicles were burned down during the violence.

Military deployment and evacuations

The Manipur government issued a shoot at sight order on 4 May. By the end of 3 May, 55 columns of the Assam Rifles and the Indian Army were deployed in the region and by 4 May, more than 9,000 people were relocated to safer locations. By 5 May, about 20,000 and by 6 May, 23,000 people had been relocated to safe locations under military supervision. The central government airlifted 5 companies of the Rapid Action Force to the region. Nearly 10,000 army, para-military and Central Armed Police Forces were deployed in Manipur. On 4 May, the Union government invoked Article 355, the security provision of the Indian constitution, and took over the security situation of Manipur.

Several hill-based militants engaged with the Indian Reserve Battalion in which five militants were killed. In a separate encounter, four militants were killed. According to journalist Moses Lianzachin, at least twenty-seven churches were destroyed or burned down during the violence.

Drones were deployed in the state for aerial reconnaissance while the curfew was relaxed for a limited period in the morning from 7 May.

As of 9 May, according to the Manipur government, the death toll was over 60 people. The situation was described as "relatively peaceful" on 10 May and curfews were relaxed in 11 districts, though unknown militants fired on Indian troops in an incident in Manipur’s Imphal East district, injuring one.

On 12 May, suspected Kuki militants ambushed policemen in Bishnupur district, killed one officer and injuring five others. In a separate incident, a soldier was stabbed and three Meitei community members kidnapped in Torbung, Churachandpur district.

A day later, the security advisor to the Manipur Government Kuldeep Singh raised the total fatality count from the violence to more than 70 deaths. This included the discovery of three Public Works Department labourers found dead in a vehicle in the Churachandpur from unknown causes. He added the number of internally displaced people living in camps had been significantly reduced, and that about 45,000 people had been relocated to other areas.

On 14 May, reports of fresh violence surfaced in the Torbung area, with unidentified arsonists torching more property, including houses and trucks. Five companies of Border Security Forces were deployed. In a separate incident, two Assam Rifles personnel were injured. The same day, a delegation of state ministers led by Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh left for New Delhi to meet Union home minister Amit Shah to discuss the situation.

The 14 May tally of casualties and property damage from the violence stood at 73 dead, 243 injured, 1809 houses burned down, 46,145 people evacuated, 26,358 people taken to 178 relief camps, 3,124 people escorted evacuation flights, and 385 criminal cases registered with the authorities.

The total military build up in Manipur stands at 126 army columns and 62 companies of paramilitary forces that are now pushing into the foothills.

Reactions

The Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh stated that the riots were instigated by “prevailing misunderstanding between two communities” and appealed for restoration of normality.

Shashi Tharoor, a Member of Parliament, called for President's rule and blamed the BJP-led government, saying it has failed to govern the state.

Peter Machado, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore, expressed concern that the Christian community is being made to feel insecure, adding that "seventeen churches are either vandalised, desecrated or defiled."

Olympic medalist Mary Kom, a native of Manipur, tweeted an appeal seeking help for her home state. The Union Government Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah canceled his campaign programs for the Karnataka election and held meetings with Biren Singh monitoring the situation in Manipur.

A BJP MLA, Dinganglung Gangmei, petitioned the Supreme Court of India against the High Court's recommendation to the state government to add Meitei people to the ST list.

Kuki autonomy demand

On 12 May, all 10 Kuki MLAs, including eight from the Bharatiya Janata Party, issued a statement demanding a separate body be created to administer their community under the constitution of India in the wake of the violent ethnic clashes. They alleged that the violence had been “tacitly supported” by the BJP-run state government, and that living under a Meitei-majority administration after the violence would be “as good as death” for their community.