Elusive Peace

Manipur

Since May 2023, violence between Manipur’s majority Meitei community, dominant in the Imphal Valley, and the tribal Kuki-Zo population, concentrated in the surrounding hills, has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands.

In the latest chapter of this seemingly unending conflict, the Kuki-Zo Council has reiterated its demand for a Union Territory with a legislature under Article 239(A) of the Indian Constitution. Such a step, they argue, would provide their community with self-governance and a sense of security amidst growing animosities with the Meitei majority. The council’s meeting with the Centre, led by interlocutor A.K. Mishra had a semblance of rapprochement, but the road ahead resembles a minefield.

The Kuki-Zo Council’s demand for a separate administration is neither novel nor unprecedented in India’s northeastern states. The region is a mosaic of autonomous councils and states carved to address ethnic aspirations. Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya have all achieved varying degrees of autonomy through political negotiation. For the Kuki-Zo community, autonomy represents not just political recognition but a critical safeguard against perceived existential threats from the Meitei majority.

The roots of Manipur’s ethnic fault lines trace back to its pre-independence days as a princely state. In 1949, Manipur was merged into the Indian Union, but the process left simmering discontent among its tribal populations. The Kuki-Zo and Naga tribes have long perceived marginalization, compounded by the dominance of the Meiteis in political and economic spheres. Tensions escalated in 2023 when the Meiteis’ push for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status—a move that could entrench their hold over resources and political privileges—sparked a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill district which devolved into violence, igniting a chain of retaliatory attacks.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central and state governments have attempted interventions, such as deploying security forces and convening dialogue, these efforts have largely been reactive. The demand for autonomy by the Kuki-Zo community has thus far met resistance from Meitei groups, who call for the abrogation of the Suspension of Operation agreements with Kuki-Zo insurgent factions. Both sides, entrenched in mutual distrust, have resisted meaningful compromises.

Critics warn that further fragmentation risks destabilizing an already volatile region. The Meiteis, constituting nearly 53 percent of Manipur’s population, argue that granting autonomy to hill districts would weaken the state’s territorial integrity. The spectre of separatist movements across India’s northeastern borderlands is making the Centre wary of acceding to such demands.

Beyond the political fray, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has launched an ambitious economic revival mission aimed at restoring stability. Under programs like UNNATI and RAMP, the government seeks to empower local entrepreneurs and train farmers in modern agricultural techniques. Yet, development without reconciliation is unlikely to address Manipur’s core issues.

The need for equitable development is particularly urgent in Manipur’s hill districts, where infrastructure lags far behind the valley. Decades of underinvestment have fuelled resentment, with tribal communities accusing the state of neglect.

Restoring normalcy in Manipur demands a delicate balancing act between addressing the aspirations of the Kuki-Zo community and preserving the state’s unity. The Centre must actively engage both communities in a structured dialogue, ensuring that negotiations go beyond symbolic meetings. The implementation of a neutral buffer zone, as proposed by the Kuki-Zo Council, could help reduce flashpoints of violence.

Additionally, the Centre could draw lessons from successful peace accords in the region, such as the 1986 Mizo Accord, which ended two decades of insurgency in Mizoram by granting statehood and substantial autonomy. A similar framework could provide a viable compromise, offering the Kuki-Zo community political recognition without undermining the state’s cohesion.

Chief Minister Singh’s rhetoric of unity will have to translate into actionable policies that bridge the economic and social chasm between the valley and the hills. While the northeast has witnessed remarkable strides in connectivity and development in recent years, unresolved ethnic tensions threaten to unravel this progress. In Manipur, the spectre of further violence looms large unless meaningful solutions are found.