Manipur, which saw bloody ethnic violence between the Kukis and Meitei communities in the past year, is struggling to return to peace. While people in some areas are trying to stitch back their lives, tension prevails in many areas. Farmers in certain locations have started cultivating again, but the supply of essentials is still restricted.
Members from the Kuki and Meitei communities who spoke to India Today TV hope for a better situation, noting that it’s in the hands of the state and central governments to bring back peace in the valley and the hills.
Unlike the situation months ago, there is more movement of people seen on the streets of Imphal. Schools, hospitals, shops, houses, and establishments have returned to normal. However, the curfew remains in place after 5 pm.
Ranjit Kumar, who spoke to India Today, highlighted a general improvement in the situation. He said, “Bullets were fired and curfews were imposed a year ago, but now the situation has improved.” However, in some areas like Jiribam, violent clashes have started once again.
According to him, everything was peaceful till the elections, but violence has resurfaced in some areas after the elections.
Rajram, a farmer India Today met while cultivating in Thoubal district, also noted that areas bordering Imphal valley and the hills are still tense. However, he mentioned, “After a year of violence, plantations and cultivation have started in some areas.” He hopes, “If Manipur gets proper rain, we will be able to cultivate properly.”
“I think Thoubal district is quiet, but in the peripheral areas, there is no peace yet. The central forces are trying, but issues still persist,” he noted.
People engaged in cultivation in Thoubal district. (Photo: India Today)
Asked about whether Manipur will return to its state before 2023, after a brief thoughtful pause, he said, “I think it must return, but those responsible to make that call must act. The central, state, and other agencies must unite to bring back peace.”
Asha Lata, a Meitei woman, continues to lead a protest camp of women seeking peace.
“It has been a year. A lot has changed in Manipur. What to do? Young people are in bunkers and women are sitting here,” she said, expressing hope for peace if the government steps in.
A police officer from the Kuki community who spoke to India Today also highlighted the Kuki-Meitei divide. Officials from Kuki cannot enter Meitei areas and vice versa. “There are no restrictions from the government side, but if a Kuki officer goes into Meitei side, questions arise and issues follow,” he said.
In one of the Kuki areas India Today visited near Palel, the village is still deserted. People from this area have moved to safer places in the hills, with one person from each household staying back to protect the village, a resident said.
“Because of the violence, most villagers are not here. They have moved to safer places in the hilly areas. There is no school; nothing is functioning here,” he said, adding that due to increased presence of central forces, the situation is relatively safer.
“It is in the hands of the government,” he noted.
A protest camp run by Meitei women. (Photo: India Today)
Somendra, who fled from More to Imphal with his family to save their lives, says that Kukis and Meiteis lived together as brothers for decades, but that brotherhood does not seem restored now. Moreover, government efforts to restore peace do not seem successful because neither the state government nor the central government has been able to stop the violence, he noted.
Earning a livelihood has become extremely difficult for people in Manipur, especially for women. Local organisations have donated handlooms to some skilled artisan women. However, even after two days of hard work, they earn only Rs 150 in the name of savings. Devika, a woman who lives in the Imphal Case Leaf Camp with her son, earns Rs 70 by making and selling a dozen candles.
The situation in relief camps is miserable with lack of basic facilities. Even in the scorching June heat, they do not have proper water supply. Frequent power cuts add to the worry, and many camps are also struggling for food supply.
Members of Kuki community in an abandoned village. (Photo: India Today)
The ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, between the Meitei people, a majority living in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal community from the surrounding hills. According to official figures, 221 people have been killed and 60,000 displaced.
The immediate cause of the violence was the Manipur High Court order directing the state government to send a recommendation to the central government regarding the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the Meitei community.
After the violence, Kuki tribal community members from Meitei-dominated areas were forced to leave their homes and land, while Meiteis in Kuki-dominated areas either left everything to return to the Imphal valley or were compelled to leave the state and settle elsewhere, including Delhi. Even after a year of violence, an unofficial border separates these areas.
Published On:
Jun 15, 2024
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