Tribal violence divides communities

By SHAKEEL SOBHAN

The streets of Imphal bear traces of the ethnic violence Manipur, a state in northeastern India, has seen in the past month. In the Uripok locality of the state capital, the air reeks of burnt tires. There are two burnt jeeps on the road. The groups of people standing alongside only add to the palpable tension in the air. Uripok, like most of Imphal, largely comprises of Meiteis, the majority community in the state. The Meitei, who are predominantly Hindu, live mostly in and around the capital city. The mainly Christian Kuki and Naga tribes, however, inhabit the surrounding hills. The events in Manipur were set in motion after the High Court directed the state government in April to consider the same affirmative action for the majority Meiteis as given to the minority tribes.

A peace rally organized by the hill tribes on May 3 served as the turning point, as violence broke out soon after with both sides blaming each other for the turmoil that left almost 100 people dead, 300 injured and thousands homeless. After a brief hiatus, the violence has resurfaced. The complexity of the conflict is highlighted by the fact that everyone has a different understanding of its origin. “This is not a Kuki–Meitei, nor a Hindu–Christian clash, but rather a fight against narco-terrorism,” Indiver Saikhomcha, a Uripok resident, told DW. “The Kuki militants from Burma (Myanmar) are engaging in poppy cultivation. Now they are demanding a separate administration so that their drug plantation can go unchecked.”

In Torbung, 50 km from Imphal, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been standing guard all night. Their patrol passes some burnt houses and destroyed vehicles — remnants of the initial violence. The houses are empty now, their inhabitants — once a mix of Meiteis and Kukis — long having fled. The violence still hasn’t abated. “There has been constant firing overnight for the past few days. Every time we feel there is a lull, the firing starts,” one CRPF official says. The unrest is also affecting the state economically: aside from the month-long internet shutdown, it is impacting supply routes. “There have been reports of trucks bringing supplies being burnt in Kangpokpi, which is a Kuki-dominated area. So, the goods coming in have to be diverted,” Saikhomcha says.

A few kilometers ahead lies the Meitei village of Tronglaobi. Here, men are gathered in makeshift bunkers. They are keeping a watch across the fields, where they say Kukis from the neighboring villages came down and torched their houses. There has also been sporadic firing from that side.

There are 30 of them keeping a watch around the clock since May 3. They carry single- and double-barrel guns that look ancient. “We are here only for our defense. Our guns are no match for their sophisticated weapons,” says Virjeet, a Tronglaobi resident. “But we have to do what we can to defend our homes.”

Virjeet and his fellow villagers are clear about their demands. They want a revocation of the suspension of operations against Kuki militants, which has enabled the violence, the villagers say. According to the agreement, Kuki militant groups were to maintain cease-fire and remain within designated camps to be monitored by security forces. The Meitei allege that Kuki militants have violated the agreement.

This article was provided by Deutsche Welle