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Counter-mobilisation by some Meitei groups against a demonstration of Kukis, where a Kuki war memorial was burnt down, the state police reacting late to a massive gathering of Kukis in some districts, and growing anxiety among the two communities about each other in the recent past – these are some of the factors which resulted in the violence that Manipur is seeing now, sources said.
Officials added that there is also an understanding in Delhi that Imphal should have anticipated trouble and acted more swiftly. Notably, the state government Thursday divested DGP P Doungel, a Kuki, from his charge as police chief and gave the responsibility to Additional DGP (Intelligence) Ashutosh Sinha, who has been asked to report directly to Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
According to sources in Manipur and the security establishment, the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur, currently dominated by student leaders of the Kuki community, had been organising protest marches for some time now against the demand for ST status for Meitei community in several hill districts of the state. On May 3, one of the largest such congregations, with close to 80,000 people, was held in Churachandpur, a district where Kukis are a majority in the population.
The Meities, nervous about the numbers these marches were drawing, then organised their own protests, drawing in community members from Churachandpur as well as Bishnupur, a district dominated by Meiteis.
“On Wednesday (May 3) evening, a war memorial of the Kukis was burnt down by Meities, following which Kuki anger boiled over. This led to clashes between the two communities,” an official said.
What made it worse was the amount of guns available in the area “since it is home to a lot of armed groups that have signed ceasefire agreements with the government”, the official said. “The clashes thus led to fatalities.”
Commenting on the government reaction, an official said: “The trouble between Meiteis and Kukis is well known. There has been some tension between them in the recent past as well. If there was an unusual gathering in a district, the police could have acted more swiftly. The best solution in the Northeast is always to make sure you take protesters off the streets and bring them to a roundtable.”
Sources said the situation has been brought under control now, with the help of the Army and central armed police forces (CAPFs), barring some tension in Imphal and east Churachandpur.
Some Meiteis are believed to be holed up in the Deputy Commissioner’s office, with Kuki groups not allowing them to come out until their community members trapped in areas of Imphal reach safety.
Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been monitoring the situation since Wednesday, held a meeting with CM Biren Singh and top officials on Friday as well, and reviewed the situation. Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs said 10 more companies of CAPFs were sent to the state on Friday, along with anti-riot vehicles.
Apart from recent provocations, there have been other issues which have been building up in the state. Sources said that following the military crackdown in Myanmar, there has been a considerable influx of refugees from the country in the bordering districts of Manipur and Mizoram.
As residents in these districts share ethnic similarities with the refugees, there has been little resistance from the local population to the new settlers. Sources said most of those settling down in districts such as Churachandpur are Kuki refugees.
Meities have been accusing Kuki leaders of allowing illegal immigration into the state for their political ends.
An eviction drive by the BJP government in March in districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal, leading to protests by Kukis and resultant clashes with the police, further fed into animosities on both sides.
The same month, the Manipur Cabinet took a decision to immediately withdraw from Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements with the Kuki National Army (KNA), the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA). Though the Centre did not support this, it shared the state government’s concern that these outfits might be supporting the influx of Myanmarese immigrants, encouraging poppy cultivation and the drug trade, and backing the protests against eviction drives.
An official said that even as these measures angered the Kukis, came the Manipur High Court order giving a boost to the Meitei demand for ST status.
Sources said during the Modi government’s first tenure, a similar situation had arisen in Nagaland, where the then state government had requisitioned CAPFs to help with an eviction drive. But, following an assessment that this could lead to clashes, the Centre had persuaded the state government to call off the drive. The matter is now being resolved through talks, sources said.
On the ST status for Meiteis, the state government is aware of the sensibilities involved, with the community’s persistent complaint being that while it is a promise made in every election by leaders, state governments never send such a recommendation to the Centre.
“It is a political hot potato. The Kukis and Nagas will protest the day ST status is given to Meiteis… Also, there is no unanimity within the Meitei community over tribal status as many believe they are the ruling class and being bracketed with tribals will impact their social status,” another official said.
