Manipur violence explained: Years-long trouble, issue over ST status for Meiteis

Ethnic violence which has engulfed Manipur over the last few days was brewing for some time as a long history of mutual suspicion between ethnic groups in the Imphal valley and its surrounding hills turned into a simmering conflict after the BJPled Manipur government started a drive to evict tribal villagers from reserved forestsThe spark for the raging violence was lit by demonstrations by tribal groups against a move to grant the majority Meiteis the Scheduled Tribe ST status which the residents of the hills had been enjoying for decades since IndependenceThe government in Manipur regardless of which party comes to power has always been dominated by plainsmen Meiteis who account for about 53 per cent of the states population and live mostly in irregular ovalshaped Imphal ValleyConsequently the governments actions have often been viewed through the prism of suspicion by tribals mostly Nagas and Kukis who make up 40 per cent of Manipurs population and live for the most part in the hills surrounding the valleyInterestingly the fertile Imphal valley makes up for about a tenth of the total land mass of the state while the surrounding hills ideal for militant hideouts and home to a longrunning insurgency account for 90 per cent of the states landsThe eviction drive which began in February was seen as yet another antitribal move leading to alarm and widespread discontent not only among the Kuki community which was affected by it but also other tribals who have many villages within reserved forest areasAhead of Chief Minister N Biren Singhs visit to Churachandpur district last week a mob vandalised and set on fire the venue in New Lamka town where he was scheduled to address a functionThe mob also managed to partially torch a newly set up open gym which Singh an ethnic Meitei was slated to inaugurate on Friday afternoon The attack took place barely 11 hours prior to a total shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribe Leaders Forum in the entire Churachandpur districtThe Forum claimed that despite the repeated submission of memorandums to the government protesting the ongoing eviction drive to clear reserved forests of farmers and other tribal settlers the government has shown no sign of willingness or sincerity in addressing the plight of peopleGeneral secretary of the Kuki Students Organisation Churachandpur D J Haokip told PTI Several areas in the hill district have been declared as reserved forests protected forests and hundreds of Kuki tribals have been dislodged from their traditional settlement areaThe anguish of the Kuki people is not about the evictions but the failure to provide rehabilitation to more than hundreds of those affected Haokip added The Kukis are represented by 10 legislators including five BJP MLAs in the 60member Manipur Assembly The Kuki Peoples Alliance KPA which is an ally of the ruling BJP government has two MLAsAlso readManipur CRPF officers tasked to oversee security forces RAF deploymentWe have six MLAs from Churachandpur district and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum ITLF has asked them to come out and state their stance on the eviction drive If they fail to respond our future course of action will include socially boycotting them Haokip saidEarlier in March a violent clash occurred at Thomas Ground in Kangpokpi district where protesters tried to hold a mass rally against encroachment of tribal lands in the name of reserved forests protected forests and wildlife sanctuaryFive persons were injured in that rally following which the state cabinet withdrew the tripartite Suspension of Operations SoO talks with two Kukibased militant outfits Kuki National Army and Zomi Revolutionary ArmySoO agreement is a ceasefire arrangement inked by the Centre state government and Kuki outfits that began more than a decade ago The cabinet also reiterated its stance that the state government will not compromise on steps taken to protect the state governments forest resources and for eradicating poppy cultivationEven as discontent grew over the eviction of the villagers three churches in Imphals Tribal colony area were demolished on April 11 for being illegal constructions on government land leading to more discontentThis meant that when the Tribal Solidarity March organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur ATSUM was announced for Wednesday to protest the move to grant ST status to the Meitei community there were justified apprehensions that this could lead to tension clashesThe march was organised by Nagas and Kuki tribals after the Manipur High Court asked the state government last month to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Meitei communityHowever no one imagined that it would degenerate into the spiral of violence which engulfed the state often called the jewel of the northeast like a forest fire killing and wounding scores forcing thousands of people to flee from their homes and see the central government rushing in large numbers of Army Assam Rifles and central police forces to contain the situationThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever