Triggers of Manipur violence: Shrinking resources, old fault lines, court order
The Manipur high court on April 19 issued directions to the state government for submission of recommendation for the inclusion of majority Meitei community on the ST list
Clashes and arson following protests against the proposed inclusion of the majority Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category rocked Manipur on Wednesday. The violence prompted a ban on mobile internet services, the evacuation of over 7,500 people, and the deployment of the army and paramilitary forces.
There has been no official confirmation of deaths, injuries, and damages to property after thousands of people took to the streets on Wednesday across the 10 hill districts against the status.
All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM), which called for protest over the ST status to Meities, insisted their protest march ended peacefully. It insisted some people burnt a portion of the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial gate in Churachandpur and triggered clashes between Meiteis and tribals.
Churches, houses of tribals, especially Kukis, and their businesses were allegedly targeted in Imphal and other non-tribal areas. Attacks on Meiteis were reported from areas where they are in a minority.
The trigger
A single-judge Manipur high court bench on April 19 issued directions to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government to submit recommendations to the Union government for considering the inclusion of Meiteis on the ST list within four weeks.
Eight petitioners moved the high court seeking the ST status for Meiteis to preserve the community and to save its ancestral land, traditions, culture, and heritage.
They argued Meiteis enjoyed the tribal status before September 1949 when the princely state of Manipur merged with India. They sought the restoration of this status.
The high court order opened old fault lines between mostly Hindu Meiteis and predominately Christians Kuki and Nagas tribal communities residing in the state’s hill districts.
The tribal communities are opposing the ST status to the Meiteis, who account for around 53% of Manipur’s population and live mostly in Imphal Valley.
They say the status will deprive them of government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.
Genesis of the divide
Meiteis, who have the Other Backward Class status, have had an upper hand politically as the Imphal Valley region they dominate sends 40 of the 60 lawmakers to the state assembly even as the region accounts for around 10% of the state’s total land area. The tribal-dominated hill districts account for nearly 90% of Manipur’s landmass but have fewer seats in the assembly.
People living in the plains are not allowed to buy land in the hills districts where an elected Hill Areas Committee enjoys administrative autonomy.
Shrinking land and other resources in the Imphal Valley as well as protections given to hill areas and restrictions on non-tribals from buying land there led to a demand for ST status for the Meiteis.
In a statement after the high court order, ATSUM called the demand for ST status for the socially and economically advanced community uncalled for. It added the demand completely negates the objective of scheduling a group of people for protective discrimination.
Tensions have also been brewing over the state government’s survey of the Churachandpur-Khoupum protected forest region covering 490 square km. Locals alleged the survey was conducted without their consent with the intent of evicting them.
On April 27, a mob set ablaze a gymnasium and sports complex a day before chief minister N Biren Singh was scheduled to inaugurate them in Churachandpur. Singh was forced to cancel his visit to Churachandpur as gatherings of over people were barred and mobile internet services were shut down.
Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum called for an eight-hour shutdown in Churachandpur on Friday accusing the government in the state of failing to address their concerns over the survey.