The violent conflict between Kuki-Zomi and Meitei has witnessed close to 150 deaths and displacement of about 60,000 people who are now taking shelter in 361 relief camps across the state and at their relative’s homes. About 4500 houses and at least 17 temples and 250 churches were burnt down and destroyed.
The violent conflict that erupted on May 3 in Manipur’s Churachandpur district where thousands of people belonging to Meitei community fled for survival, and their houses were burnt down still continues unabated for more than 88 days.
To contain the violent conflict, about 60,000 security forces including Indian Army and Paramilitary Forces have already been brought in the violent-ridden Manipur besides the state’s armed police forces of about 40,000.
However, everyone’s question is – Why does the Government (both the Union and State) fail to stop the violence with such large security personnel in a small state with an estimated population of 3.23 millions?
Understanding the ongoing violence in Manipur is not possible without acknowledging critical role played by narcotic business.
Manipur, a small state having its size reduced to 22,327 sq km, borders with Myanmar to the east sharing 398 km of Indo-Myanmar international boundary. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Assam to the west and Mizoram to the south.
Meiteis inhabit in less than one-tenth of the geographical area of Manipur in one of the valleys known as Imphal Valley. Imphal Valley is surrounded on all sides by hill ranges with 39 recognised tribes who belong to both Nagas and Kukis.
Hill tribes own land and can settle anywhere in valley while Meiteis are legally barred from doing the same in the hills under the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (MLR & LR) Act, 1960 passed by the Indian Parliament.
Hills and valleys are inseparable environmentally, interdependent economically, and related organically. Thousands of families have parents from hills and valley.
For a variety of reasons, hill areas are less developed economically as well as in other parameters. A sense of being deprived is widely prevalent among hill tribes.
Meanwhile, seizure of heroine and other narcotic substances worth millions of rupees has become almost daily occurrence in Manipur. The state is becoming an important route for international drug trafficking from Southeast Asia to rest of India and beyond.
As usual, kingpins are never caught. But majority of small fries, besides Lhukhosei Zou case, caught red handed belong to Kuki tribes.
Former ADC (Autonomous District Council) Chairman of Chandel district, Lhukhosei Zou, was arrested in 2018 in a multi-crore drug siezure. The High Court of Manipur had acquited Lhukhosei Zou along with six others in the case on December 17, 2020. He was considered to be the alleged kingpin of the drug cartel.
Moreover, in recent years, poppy cultivation on a large scale on hill ranges populated by Kuki-Zomi tribes (rarely by other tribes) has been rampant.
Poppy cultivation totally replaced traditional jhum cultivation for rice and other crops. Consequently, livelihood of Kuki-Zomi families depends on poppy cultivation.
Poppy cultivation is encouraged by henchmen of narcotic bosses and physically guarded by armed Kuki-Zomi militants.
During last Parliamentary and State Assembly elections, fate of candidates depends on support of Kuki militants and also the nomination of candidates for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) depends on the recommendations of Kuki militants.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah brazenly canvassed for votes by coming to Manipur and paying the Kuki militants millions of rupees under some pretext as due funds for Suspension of Operation (SoO) on eve of last State Assembly elections.
In response to the release of funds the Kuki militant groups under the SoO also diktated the Kuki voters to vote for the BJP. There are 10 Kuki members in the 60-Member Manipur State Legislative Assembly.
Increasing wealth and growing political influence obviously emboldened Kuki militants and drug bosses to have bigger political ambitions.
They saw possibilities of a long-standing dream – Kuki Homeland or Zalengam- coming true.
As revealed by a diary found on a Kuki militant killed in the violent conflict, more systematic planning and execution began over many years. The trascript and translation of the diary was published by Hueiyen Lanpao daily.
Their plan of action included rewriting Kuki history deliberately manipulating facts, brainwashing youngsters portraying Meiteis as their enemy (warning not to antagonize Nagas), befriending India by offering services to intelligence and security services, giving military training to young men, using drug trade to earn revenue.
Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren started “War on Drugs” in November 2018. Though the Biren’s Government did not go for appeal to Supreme Court against the Manipur High Court’s Order acquiting Lhukhosei Zou, among the Chief Ministers of Manipur, Biren most actively pursued ‘War on Drugs’, destroyed poppy cultivation, evicted encroachers from reserved and protected forests. Constantly spoke about devastating effects of poppy cultivation on environment, about narcotics being a grave danger to young generation, etc.
The War on Drugs capaign and the eviction drive against encroachers in Reserved Forests and Protected Forests Areas greatly affected Kuki-Zomi tribes.
The campaign against illegal immigrants posed threat to the existence of Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur.
So Chiem Minister Biren easily fitted into a perfect image of the Meitei Enemy among new generation of Kukis in Manipur.
Therefore, burning of hundreds of Meitei houses began almost simultaneously on May 3, 2023 in the adjoining areas of Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts to claim the areas as homeland exclusively for Kuki-Zomi tribes. These happened in other places many kilometers apart like Churachandpur, Pukhao, Dolaithabi and Moreh. Meiteis were completely taken by surprise. Thousands fled for their lives with just the clothes they were wearing.
Meteis retaliated viciously and violently. Almost all Kuki villages in the valley were attacked and destroyed or burnt down. Many were also killed. They also fled for their lives.
Kukis also retaliated from hill ranges surrounding the valley on all sides. They burnt down hundreds of Meitei houses near the foothills, killing many people and looting properties. Taking advantage of being under SoO where Indian Security Forces has ceasefire with them, the Kuki-Zomi militants still continue to attack on Meitei setllements to dominate the areas as thier exclusive homeland.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
