More than two years after violent ethnic strife erupted in Manipur that claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians and split the state between two warring communities, peace and normalcy still remain elusive, with sporadic incidents of violence being reported every now and then.
In the latest such incident, violent protests erupted over reports of the arrest of a leader of the Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol on 7 June.
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Protesters set fire to tyres and furniture on the streets of Kwakeithel and Uripok, calling for the release of the Meitei leader. At Kwakeithel, several gunshots were heard, though it remains unclear who fired them or if anyone was injured.
Clashes erupted between protesters and security forces at various locations in Imphal, the state capital, while a mob set a bus ablaze in Khurai Lamlong, located in the Imphal East district. Security forces fired multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the crowd near Kangla Gate, about 200 metres from the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.
The administration has clamped prohibitory orders in five districts: Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching.
Additionally, internet and mobile data services, including VSAT and VPN access, have been suspended in these valley regions. On 8 June, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed the arrest of Meitei leader Kanan Singh for his alleged involvement in several criminal activities linked to the 2023 violence.
Singh was arrested at Imphal airport and was immediately transported to Guwahati, where he is set to appear in court for a police remand.
The federal agency is probing cases related to the Manipur ethnic violence in accordance with a direction of the Supreme Court. In response to Kanan Singh’s arrest, Arambai Tenggol has declared a ten-day complete shutdown in the valley districts, effective immediately, as it gears up to escalate protests.
Originally founded as a cultural revivalist group, the Meitei organisation has transformed into a contentious militia-like entity engaged in the ongoing ethnic violence. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May, 2023.
The conflict has led to a troubling segregation between the majority Meiteis and the minority Kukis, the former inhabiting the valley regions and the latter residing in the hills.
This division has become so pronounced that members of either community are unable to venture beyond their respective territories.
Over the past two years, numerous violent incidents have erupted whenever individuals from one group inadvertently enter the other’s area. The Opposition Congress has been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “insensitivity” to the suffering of people in Manipur as the PM is yet to visit the restive state since 3 May 2023, when ethnic violence first broke out.
Although the belated resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who stubbornly refused to step down and oversaw the violence and destruction for nearly two years, and the subsequent imposition of President’s Rule were necessary steps, the absence of extensive outreach and confidence-building initiatives has made normalcy a distant dream.
At the same time, continued violence even after the imposition of President’s Rule is a matter of concern. Bringing normalcy back to Manipur has become all-important now in the context of the ongoing civil war in neighbouring Myanmar, where India is seen as being close to the ruling military junta, much to the chagrin of the people of that country.
Added to this, deteriorating ties between India and Bangladesh have made the case for a safe and secure northeast a strategic imperative for New Delhi.
