The intermittent resurgence of unrest and tension has turned Manipur into an open battle zone. Ever since the ethnic fight between the Meitei people, a majority community living in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zomi tribal community from the surrounding hills erupted in May 2023, Manipur continues to be roiled by strife, violence, and distrust. In the absence of a unified command and a state government that seems to have abdicated its responsibility, the smouldering ethnic crisis has transformed Manipur into a conflict zone with frequent outbreaks of violence.
Each fresh spate of violence is a chilling reminder that Manipur is on edge and urgently requires decisive political intervention from the Centre. Manipur has witnessed unrest before May 2023, but never has it been allowed to fester for so long. So why has the Central government failed to act on the Manipur crisis? Union Minister for the Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, while replying to the Opposition’s barbs in Parliament recently, said, “Manipur is a situation which has been there for the last 25 to 40 years. So, it is something that has not been created by the government,” implying the crisis is a legacy issue. While Manipur resembles a frozen conflict reigniting intermittently, it is impossible to overlook the state Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s incompetent leadership and his alleged partisan role in the conflict. It is equally difficult to ignore the Centre’s continued indifference.
Over the past 19 months, violence has claimed more than 250 lives and displaced over 60,000 people—many now live in relief camps or have fled beyond the state’s borders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on violence-ravaged Manipur is bewildering; he has not visited the state since the ethnic conflict began. The escalation of violence in Jiribam district last month, followed by violent protests, underscores just how fragile the situation remains. After the spate of violence on November 11, the Union Home Ministry reimposed the “Disturbed Area” status under AFSPA in six police stations of Manipur. Earlier in September, violent clashes erupted between armed Kuki-Zomi groups and security forces along the fraught boundary separating Meitei- dominated Imphal West and Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi districts. Triggered by a court order seeking to extend the Kukis’ special economic privileges to the Meitei community, the bitter rivalry has deepened so much that the state is effectively divided into two enclaves: the Meitei- dominated valley and Kuki-controlled hill districts.
Reports indicate that the two regions have been ethnically cleansed of rival groups, with little prospect of displaced people returning soon. The division is so stark that administrative personnel, including police, have been relocated along ethnic lines. This division under BJP rule at both the Centre and state levels raises serious concerns. The governance paralysis in Manipur has persisted for far too long without serious intervention from New Delhi.
The Biren Singh-led state government and the Centre bear the responsibility for Manipur’s continuing crisis. The latter’s actions have been limited to empty rhetoric and vague promises of dialogue. Despite growing calls for decisive action—replacing the Chief Minister or imposing President’s Rule—the Union government remains reluctant to act. The BJP’s hesitation stems from political expediency. Manipur’s 60-member legislature includes 40 assembly seats from the Meitei-dominated valley, a significant factor in BJP’s strategy to expand its foothold in the Northeast.
Biren Singh, a former Congressman, is a key architect of this strategy. However, political expediency cannot be prioritized over people’s suffering indefinitely. The cost of strife in Manipur, fractured along ethnic lines, has far-reaching implications. The conflict cannot be ignored or wished away. The Prime Minister, compelled by the Opposition’s no-confidence motion in Parliament last August, blamed the previous Congress government for Manipur’s troubles and promised to restore peace. Yet peace remains elusive, and the government’s solution to the violent conflict is absent.
The recent escalation of violence has belied claims by the central and state governments that the the situation is normalizing. The cost of indifference and leaving Manipur to its divisive forces risks pushing the state into further instability and violence. The Centre must initiate wider, deeper conversations in search of lasting peace. Conflict analysts suggest hostilities may pause briefly due to combat exhaustion, but unresolved conflicts often reignite later. Manipur’s crisis demands attention and resolution—now more than ever.
The writer is a senior independent Mumbai-based journalist. He tweets at @ali_chougule
