New Delhi, June 9: Just days after the result of the Manipur parliament elections were announced, where the Bharatiya Janata Party and Naga People’s Front party lost both seats, violence in Jiribam, Manipur was reported where several Meitei villages in the Barak Circle came under attack by Kuki militants and their associates.
The violence in Jiribam also saw the burning of a police outpost, a forest beat office, and a forest range office. Approximately a dozen houses in four to five villages were torched, with officials confirming that these homes belonged to Meiteis. New violence has left many families displaced.
Tensions in Jiribam flared following the abduction and subsequent killing of a Meitei individual, Soibam Saratkumar, on June 6. The militants torched the house of RK Mangolsana, whose daughter, RK Chandrasana, is a journalist. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this attack.
A local newspaper reported that seven individuals went missing after the attacks; six have since been found, but the whereabouts of the seventh person remain unknown. Newspapers reported heavily armed Kuki militants surrounded Lamtai Khunou and launched an attack around 4 AM, yesterday leading to a gunfight. State security personnel and village volunteers returned fire until Assam Rifles arrived and the confrontation ceased. The militants attacked multiple villages along the river.
Reinforced State security forces have been deployed to Jiribam in response to the violence. In response, the State Government has ordered the transfer and posting of three IPS officers, appointing M Pradip Singh as the Senior SP of Jiribam.
Manipur has a history of ethnic violence, and the recent events in Jiribam echo previous conflicts. The underlying tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities have led to periodic violence, disrupting the region’s peace and stability.
The Meitei-Kuki violence in Manipur is rooted in longstanding ethnic tensions between the Meitei, who primarily inhabit the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki, who reside in the surrounding hill districts. These tensions have periodically erupted into violence, driven by issues of land ownership, political representation, and ethnic identity.
The conflict dates back to colonial times when the British demarcated administrative boundaries and categorized communities, sowing seeds of division. Post-independence, these divisions were exacerbated by competition for resources and political influence.
Land ownership and identity politics are central to the conflict. The Meitei, who dominate the political landscape, have sought Scheduled Tribe status to gain access to resources reserved for tribal communities, heightening tensions with the Kuki.
Both the Meitei and Kuki communities formed armed groups to protect their interests, leading to clashes and cycles of retribution. The latest outbreak of violence in Jiribam, marked by arson and attacks on villages, is a continuation of these deep-seated ethnic conflicts. Recent incidents include the killing of a Meitei individual and retaliatory attacks by Kuki militants, displacing hundreds of families and leading to significant property destruction.