Manipur’s Divide
The ethnic tensions in Manipur between the Kuki-Zo tribes and the Meitei community have brought the state's governance under intense scrutiny.
Nine people were killed and 10 were reportedly injured in fresh clashes in Manipur which immediately led to curfew in several parts of the state again.
“Violence has remained unchecked and Peace Committee has served no purpose,” the Manipur Tribal Forum (MTF) members told The Statesman even before the clashes began in the morning.
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After the news of fresh clashes, the co-convener of MTFV Naulakh said, “This is what I was pointing out in the morning. The environment has not improved even an inch after the visit of the union minister Amit Shah.”
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MTF allegedly claimed that they are in constant touch with the state tribal forum. MTF also claimed that apart from the killings, Kuki tribal villages were put on fire last night by the Meitei Lepun, Arambai Tenggol terrorists, and state police commandos.
Kuki-Meitei conflict is an age-old conflict in Manipur. Meitei is the Hindu group that has the maximum representation in the assembly. The Meitei community’s support allowed the Bharatiya Janata Party to form the government in the state while the Kukis follow Christianity. The Kukis live in the hills of Manipur while Meiteis live in the plains of the region.
The Meitei community wants to be included in the scheduled tribe category while the Kuki community of Manipur has been in the scheduled tribe category since 1950 and this is the bone of contention between the two communities.
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