Govt making efforts to bridge trust deficit between Meiteis and Kukis: Officials

Earlier this week, the Manipur government said over 700 illegal immigrants from Myanmar had entered the state in July.

The Centre is making all efforts to bridge the growing trust deficit between the majority Meiteis and tribal Kukis, who have been engaged in ethnic conflict since May 3, in Manipur and ensuring that insurgents from Myanmar do not cross over to exploit the situation, officials aware of the developments said.

Paramilitary personnel stand guard during a protest by women, in Manipur (ANI)

As part of confidence building measures, the Centre’s representatives earlier this week held separate meetings with representatives of Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement and Coordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei civil society organisation.

“The idea is to remove the trust deficit between both sides and maintain peace in the violence-hit state,” said a central government officer on anonymity.

“From the security point of view, the ministry of home affairs is looking to fence the Myanmar border with Manipur so that insurgents do not cross over and take advantage of the violence in the state,” he added.

Manipur shares around 390km of porous border with Myanmar, but only about 10km has been fenced so far.

Earlier this week, the Manipur government said over 700 illegal immigrants from Myanmar had entered the state in July. All concerned authorities in the state have been asked to record biometric data of those entering any of the north-eastern states from Myanmar, the officer quoted above said.

Since May 3, Manipur has been gripped by ethnic clashes – primarily between the Kukis, which mostly reside in the hill districts, and Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley. At least 150 people have been killed and over 50,000 have been displaced so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 in Churachandpur town after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders. The authorities quickly clamped a curfew and suspended internet, pumping in additional security forces to force a break in the spiraling clashes.

Internet services, which remained suspended since May 3, were partially resumed on Tuesday.

To bring normalcy, the Centre sent in personnel from the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force, Assam Rifles, and Border Security Force.

The state has recorded 5,101 cases of arson and registered 6,065 first information reports (FIRs) related to various incidents of violence so far. At least 252 people have been arrested and around 12,740 preventive arrests have been made.

A May 4 incident in which three women were allegedly stripped and paraded naked, one of them even gang-raped, and two men from their family were murdered by a mob in B Phainom village has been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a probe.