The fire in Manipur

In the north-eastern state of Manipur, the conflict between the Meitei sect, the majority community, and the Naga and Kuki tribes has been brought under control, but reports suggest that fear still lingers in the region. Authorities have had to use strong measures to manage the conflict, which has claimed over a dozen lives so far and displaced tens of thousands. The situation deteriorated to the point where the governor ordered assailants to be shot at sight. In addition to deploying the army, mobile internet services have been entirely suspended in the state. Nevertheless, the state government has not been able to declare that peace has been restored; the embers of unrest continue to smoulder throughout the valley. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in nine of the state's 16 districts. There are also fresh reports of more people fleeing the areas affected by the insurgency.

The direct cause of the current conflict in Manipur is believed to have been sparked by a High Court ruling that the Meitei community, a Hindu group comprising 53 per cent of the state's population, should be considered a Scheduled Tribe. The court directed the state's BJP government to submit a report to the Centre within a month to enable the Meiteis to receive reservation benefits. Meiteis are the majority population in the state's valleys, which can be divided geographically into hill and valley regions. The community wields significant influence in the administrative sector, holding 40 of the state assembly's 60 seats. Naturally, any special treatment for this group is of great interest to the ruling class, but this is likely to provoke anger among the genuine tribal communities in the region. It is also a cause for concern that such a move could undo the nominal progress made in education and employment for these minority groups. In response to these concerns, a tribal unity rally was held on Wednesday in the hilly areas, led by the dominant tribal communities in the region - the Naga and Kuki groups. During the rally, an armed mob reportedly attacked the Meitei community in the Churachandpur district, and with retaliation from Meiteis, the violence spread throughout the state. While this may be the immediate cause of the current conflict, it cannot be reduced to a simple clash at a rally. There are many political, cultural and religious factors underlying this situation that require deeper examination.

There are reportedly 35 tribal groups in Manipur, with the majority, such as the Kukis and Nagas, being Christians. There has already been a demand to include the Meitei community, which comprises the largest population in the state, in this group. This push was intensified in 2017 when the BJP government led by Biren Singh came to power. However, this move has increased the insecurity of the lives of tribal communities in the region, especially religious minorities. The All Manipur Tribal Union organized a rally recently, arguing that if the Meitei are granted Scheduled Tribe status, they would not only lose their reservation but also their remaining land. It is worth noting that the Meitei people own over 60 per cent of the state's private lands. Furthermore, the BJP government has taken several recent steps that questioned the existence of tribal groups, including the Kukis and Nagas. In the guise of illegal migration, large-scale resettlement continues in hilly areas of the state. This evacuation is due to allegations by organizations such as the All Meitei Council that the Kukis have crossed the border from Myanmar and Bangladesh and that local Kukis are hiding in the forest and that the Kukis are invading the valley from the hills.

The government argues that eviction is the only solution to prevent this. Additionally, they have also demanded the implementation of the NRC in the state. It is only when things are put in this context that concerns can be dispelled about this recent move on a reservation being a part of Hindutva's plan to oppress people who fear displacement and citizenship denial. The unrest in Manipur also exposes that the Sangh Parivar has not put any brake on encroaching on the rights of religious minorities and tribal groups, despite their efforts to establish contacts and exchange greetings with Christians. It is unlikely that Christian religious leaders who seek refuge in the Sangh Parivar will overlook this unrest. The central and state governments should act quickly to put an end to the ethnic conflict in the strategic North-East.