Imphal: Meitei Hindus in Manipur are being attacked, and thousands have been displaced after a group of highly radicalised mob purportedly backed by a few armed militants. In this diverse multi-ethnic State, the Hindus remained a soft target for various forces, including missionaries, before the nation gained independence.
The ongoing targeted attack on Meitei Hindu was launched on May 3, 2023 afternoon following a peace rally (Tribal Solidarity March) organised by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM).
ATSUM’s rally was endorsed by Tribal Churches Leaders’ Forum, Manipur (TCLF, Manipur). It was organised as a counter-crusade to the continuing demand for including Meitei (Hindu) in the Scheduled Tribe list.
While it would be inconclusive to say that the ongoing riot is against the gaining momentum for including Meitei in the ST list, a quick study of recent protests by different tribal bodies revealed the hidden motives of the perpetrators.
The reason for the clash is the rally which was organised despite the restrictions imposed by the district administration in anticipation of the potential communal violence. Curfew under section 144 of CrPC 144 was imposed by district administrations anticipating the potential communal violence.
Similarly, Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) had also organised a “Peace Rally” on March 10 2023, in hill districts of Manipur against the State government’s initiative to protect and preserve the Reserved and Protected Forests in Manipur. The KSO also called for solidarity from all tribal stakeholders, including “Prayer Warriors and “Church Leaders”. Disregarding the curfew imposed by district administrations, the so-called “Peace Rally” was organised, and it turned out to be violent in multiple locations.
Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) set a recently built gym/sports complex on fire a day before Chief Minister Biren was supposed to inaugurate it on April 27, 2023. It occurred just a week before the Tribal Solidarity March of ATSUM.
The involvement of Kuki militants has been confirmed with the news report Kuki militants attacked state security forces in Saiton in the Bishnupur district and Saikul, Kangpokpi, Moreh and other Kuki-inhabited areas. At least 10 Kuki militants under Suspension of Operation (SoO) were killed in different locations in retaliation by state security forces.
Popular Scheduled Tribe (ST) demand
The demand for including Meitei in the ST list is almost two decades long. Recently, a single-judge bench of the High Court of Manipur comprising Acting Chief Justice M V Murlidharan directed to send a recommendation to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to enlist Meitei/Meetei in the ST list on April 20 2023. It enraged the radical tribal few bodies (like ATSUM and KSO) purportedly backed by Christian leaders and evangelical forces. These tribal bodies have earned a reputation for imposing economic blockades, organising unconstitutional mass protest rallies etc.
Notably, the High Court of Manipur issued contempt notices to Diganglung Gangmei, HAC Chairman, also the MLA (BJP) representing Nungba Assembly Constituency and ATSUM president Seiboi Haokip for issuing statements against the Manipur High Court order.
The High Court’s directive to send the recommendation to include Meitei/ Meetei in the ST list by May 19 and the launching of a full-scale war like an attack on Hindus on May 3 and continuing indicates the agenda of the ongoing onslaught.
Protection of Reserved Forest
With reason best known to them, the people living in hill districts of Manipur, mainly the Kuki tribe, strongly opposed the state government’s initiative to preserve and protect Reserved Forests. While, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, clarified that the state government is the owner of forest land, and it is the sole responsivity of the state government to protect and preserve the reserved and protected forests as per the Forest Act, which was amended on 1976.
Forest offices were set ablaze on the first day of the attack on May 3, 2023.
On the day of the so-called peace rally (Tribal Solidary March of ATSUM), the rallyists turned violent and burned four Forest Offices. Why they targeted Forest Offices? The answer is very simple; they don’t want the government control of the forests and their resources as it would prevent them from the mass illegal poppy plantations.
Muscularly the tribal leaders protested the survey of reserved and protected forests. The government evicted illegal structures built on reserved/protected forests and destroyed thousands of illegally cultivated poppy plantations.
War on Drug
It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Biren Singh’s BJP-led government launched the War On Drug campaign on November 3, 2018, to mitigate the menace of drug abuse and illegal drug trafficking in Manipur. When War on Drugs was launched, the hills of Manipur turned into another Golden Triangle in India.
Plantation of poppy in the hill areas of Manipur is reportedly the primary source of funding the militants, especially hilly-based armed organisations. There were reports of some Kuki militants engaging in mass poppy plantations and illegal drug trafficking.
To such militant groups, the initiative of the Government to eliminate illegal poppy plantations and drug trafficking is reportedly considered a serious issue. The state government’s War on Drugs campaign is considered a threat to their right to live, and arrangements for an alternative to poppy cultivation as a curse to them.
Withdrawing from the suspension of operation
On March 10, 2023, Following a “Peace Rally” organised by KSO (Kuki Students’ Organisation) in tribal districts of Manipur turned violent, the State cabinet decided to withdraw the State Government from the tripartite agreement of Suspension of Operation (SoO) with two hill based armed insurgent groups- the Kuki National Army (KNA) and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) whose leader hail from outside the State for their alleged role in poppy plantation and obstructing the state government from protecting the forest and forest resources.
“After the Naga-Kuki conflict (1992- 1997), many Kuki armed groups emerged to counter the infamous ethnic cleansing war. Later, they signed SoO agreement with the Central and State governments in 2005. Such militant organisations formed by foreigners claimed their legitimacy by signing SoO agreement. The role of such militant organisations in organised crimes, drug trafficking and facilitating illegal immigration is a piece of common knowledge,” the Chief Minister, who is also the in-charge of the Home Department, told Organiser Weekly during an interview.
Demolition of illegal churches
Following an order (April 4, 2023) of the High Court of Manipur, the state government demolished three Churches- Evangelical Baptist Convention Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church Manipur and Catholic Holy Spirit Church- which were illegally built on government land reserved for Government Employee’s quarters on April 11 2023.
It may be noted that in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court, the Government of Manipur framed “The Manipur Policy for review of unauthorised construction of Religious Nature on public parks, public places etc. 2010” and constituted a State Level Committee for reviewing the unauthorised construction of religious nature and the District Committees headed by District Commissioner/Chairperson were constituted for removal/relocation/regularisation of such religious structures.
Accordingly, the District Level Committee discussed nine religious structures in Village No.26-Wangkheirakpam Leikai on the land allotted to the PWD Building Division, Government of Manipur. Out of nine, five were removed, and four are still standing on Dag Nos.410, 411, 412(P), 265, 267(P) and 265(P). Of the four, two Churches, namely, Evangelical Baptist Convention Church and Peniel Church, have come to the High Court of Manipur challenging the eviction notices issued against them.
Illegal Immigrants & Call for NRC
The State has become a harbour of undocumented Myanmar migrants after the recent military crackdown in the neighbouring country. This sudden population explosion has already created mayhem in the State. A high-powered Cabinet Sub-Committee with three Ministers was appointed to monitor undocumented immigrants from neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Various civil society organisations have been demanding to implement NRC in Manipur. The government has constituted the Manipur State Population Commission and set to launch house-to-house identification of illegal migrants. And the government started biometric-based facial identification to detect illegal immigrants.
Landmark achievements like the cancellation of the erstwhile Free Movement Regime (FMR) that allowed to travel 16 Kms across the border on either side without any visa requirements, the building of border fencing and receiving the Central government’s approval to establish 34 police stations along the Indo-Myanmar border turn out to be a threat to the illegal migrants who have been staying in the State without documents since the last decade and the so-called few hill based militant outfits run by ‘foreigners’ from Myanmar.
It is speculated that if 1961 is set as the base year for identifying illegal migrants (as suggested by Chief Minister), around 80 per cent of the so-called Kuki tribe must be deported back to Myanmar and Mizoram State.
As per the 2011 Census, Manipur has 41.39 per cent (Hinduism), 41.29 per cent (Christianity), 8.40 per cent (Islam), 7.78 per cent (Sanamahi) and 0.66 per cent (others). But a startling demographic swift could not be overnighted considering the magnitude of the crusade and pace of conversion activities in the following Census report.
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