MLAs’ houses burnt, curfew imposed: Why is Manipur burning again?

In May 2023, ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state of Manipur when two major communities of the state, the mainly Christian Kuki community and the non-tribal, mainly Hindu Meitei community clashed over the proposed inclusion of the latter in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

Now, a year later, Manipur is in the news again as fresh violence has broken out in the northeastern state, which has also resulted in the National People’s Party (NPP), led by Conrad Sangma, withdrawing its support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Manipur government under Chief Minister N Biren Singh, accusing them of failing to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state.

For the past two days, Manipur has descended into chaos — with protesters taking to the streets, setting vehicles ablaze and attacking the residences of several lawmakers in Imphal, Manipur’s capital.

The state administration has, in turn, suspended internet and mobile data services in seven affected districts of the valley, imposed curfew and even reinstated the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur’s six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam on Thursday.

But what is the reason for the fresh violence in Manipur? We analyse the situation and try to explain it all.

The new Manipur violence stems from an encounter between Kuki insurgents and Manipur police last week. Last Monday (November 11), 10 armed
Kuki “militants” were killed in “retaliatory firing” after they attacked security forces in Jiribam, Manipur Police said.

According to the police, the men, armed with sophisticated weapons, including automatic guns and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) post about 3 pm in the Borobekra-Jiribam area and were killed in “retaliatory firing”.

Reacting to the incident, Thangtinlen Haokip, information secretary of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), told The Print that these were not militants but “village defence volunteers”. “These are not militants, but our village defence volunteers, who have been on the ground since the violence began, to protect their community. It is wrong to call them militants.”

Amid this encounter, three women and three children, including an eight-month-old baby, were allegedly abducted from Manipur’s Jiribam district. According to a government official speaking to The Hindu, the abducted were part of a group of 13 Meitei people who were displaced from their homes in June and were living in the vicinity of the CRPF camp at Jakuradhor and Borobekra police station, the site of encounter, for their safety.

Later that same night, a photograph of the six women and children, huddled together on the ground, went viral.

On Friday (November 15), the bodies of a woman and two children were found floating on the Barak river in Assam’s Cachar district. And on Sunday (November 17), two more bodies were found – of another child and woman – in the river in Lakhipur.

It is reported that the six, who were abducted and whose bodies were later found, all belonged to one family. Laisharam Herojit told NDTV that it was his wife, two children, mother-in-law, wife’s sister, and her son who were taken hostage and later killed by suspected Kuki militants.

News of the discovery of the bodies provoked mobs in Manipur to go on a rampage. They attacked the residences and properties of ministers and MLAs, burnt tyres on the main road leading to
Biren CM Biren Singh’s residence, and even set fire to at least two churches and three houses in Jiribam town.

On Saturday (November 16), irate protesters ransacked the houses of three legislators, including that of Biren Singh’s son-in-law RK Imo, who is also a BJP MLA, and set their properties on fire. Later that day, they also advanced towards Biren Singh’s ancestral home at Luwangshangbam in Imphal East but were stopped short of 100-200 metres by security forces.

Protesters also burned tyres and blocked roads in the capital city of Imphal on Saturday.

On Sunday (November 17), the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a prominent Kuki-Zo tribal organisation, alleged that attackers from a rival community set fire to at least five churches, one school, a petrol pump, and 14 houses belonging to tribal families in Jiribam.

A mob also attacked the RSS office at Haraorok in Imphal East around 10 am. No one was hurt in the attack although office property was vandalised.

Shortly after the
fresh violence in Manipur broke out, the Manipur government announced an indefinite curfew was imposed in Imphal East and West, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Kakching districts of Imphal Valley.

The administration also suspended internet services temporarily in seven districts in the wake of protesters storming the residences of state ministers and MLAs. “Anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public which might have serious repercussions for the law and order situation,” a notice said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also expected to hold a key meeting to review the situation in Manipur. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, among other top officials, are likely to attend the meeting.

The Centre has also reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur’s six police station areas. A News18 report has said that the Centre is also preparing to send in additional troops to the northeastern state. The report citing sources said that the 20 companies sent by the Union government last week will not be sufficient, given the current tense situation in the state.

The state police have so far arrested 23 people for ransacking and setting fires to the homes of lawmakers and ministers in the capital Imphal. A senior state police official told Reuters on Sunday that the situation in the area was “relatively calm today but unpredictable”.

Meanwhile, political developments have also unfolded in the state that could result in more volatility in an already vulnerable state. Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), the second-largest ally with seven MLAs in the BJP-led NDA state government, withdrew support citing its failure to “restore normalcy” and expressing “deep concern”.

NPP chief Conrad Sangma said, “We strongly feel that the Manipur state government under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy. Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People’s Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh-led Government in the State of Manipur, with immediate effect.” He also wrote a letter to BJP chief JP Nadda, saying, “In the last few days, we have seen the situation further deteriorate where many more innocent lives have been lost and people in the state are going through immense suffering.”

While the NPP pulling out of the government, doesn’t endanger its position, it is a clear indicator of a worsening situation. Speaking to The Indian Express, an NPP MLA said: “The state government is already at odds with seven BJP Kuki MLAs. Without the seven NPP MLAs, he (Biren) will struggle to prove his majority in the Assembly now.”