India: Renewal of ethnic violence in Manipur state

(New York) – Indian Authorities should urgently intervene to address renewed inter-ethnic violence in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Human Rights Watch said today. Both the state of Manipur and the central government should take immediate steps to resolve differences, investigate abuses, and appropriately punish those responsible.

Armed groups from the mostly Christian Kuki-Zo community and the mostly Hindu Meitei community have committed deadly violence that supposedly killed at least 11 people. Students and others have protested against violenceand some have clashed with security forces and attacked government buildings. September 10, 2024 Manipur State Government imposed curfew in three districts and suspended internet access in five districts until September 15.

“The state government’s response to the increasingly violent ethnic clashes in Manipur has only caused more harm,” he said. Meenakshi Gangulydeputy Asia director at Human Right Watch. “Rather than protecting vulnerable communities and upholding the rule of law, authorities have deepened long-standing anger and distrust among communities through polarizing policies.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government in Manipur, led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, a representative of the Meitei ethnic group, has reiterated his party’s actions division policy used in the country to promote the Hindu majoritarian system. It has publicly claimed without any basis that the Kuki tribe was providing shelter to illegal immigrants from Myanmar and was involved in drug trafficking, deforestation and armed conflict.

As of May 2023, more than 200 people died and hundreds injured. More than 60,000 people have been displaced and are living in cramped shelters. Several Kuki women have sexual violence and rape reported by Meitei mobs. Homes, businesses, villages and places of worship, mostly targeting the Kuki community, were burned, attacked and vandalized.

The latest violence reportedly began on September 1 when suspected Kuki militants attacked villages in West Imphal district using drones, killing two villagers and injuring several others. On September 6, suspected Kuki militants carried out an attack in Bishnupur district Rocket attackskilling an elderly man and wounding six others, including a 13-year-old girl. On September 7 in Jiribam district, six people died as a result of gun violence between the Meitei and Kuki groups. In Sekmai, the crowd allegedly beaten to death a Kuki man, while armed Meitei groups attacked a Central Reserve Police Force camp and nearby houses, killing a woman.

Current Violence broke out in Manipur state May 3, 2023 after tribal communities protested the order of the Manipur High Court granting most of the Meitei community certain benefits, including land ownership in protected areas and quotas in government jobs and college admissions. Such affirmative action is usually reserved for tribal groups to correct historical and structural inequality and discrimination. The protest, which Kuki-Zo participated in, among the larger tribal communities in Manipur, who live mostly in the hill areas where the Meitei would be allowed to buy land under the new ruling, turned violent, with clashes between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo. Manipur High Court the disputed order was revoked in February 2024

Tensions had been building for months, with members of the Meitei community accusing the Kuki-Zo of being illegal migrants, poppy cultivation for illegal drug trafficking and using government quotas in work and education. The Kuki-Zo community accused the authorities of discrimination and escalation eviction of Kuki tribe villagers from forest areas.

Local activists say the state government has ensured political support for brutal lynch mobs which support the Meitei community. Kuki-Zo communities have accused the groups of brutal attackssexual harassment and murder. Manipur authorities have failed to investigate or take any action against groups involved in the violence.

Manipur has long been struggling with insurgency involving armed groups and government security forces. serious violations of human rightsLong-standing ethnic disputes, especially over land and natural resources, often escalated into brutal.

The Manipur government should urgently adopt measures to protect the safety of all communities, especially the vulnerable, and mitigate violence. Local authorities must provide unrestricted and adequate humanitarian assistance to affected communities, allow internet access, and engage in civil societyincluding women from all sides, to address long-standing inter-communal issues. The State Government should work with the Central Government of India to provide redress to victims of abuses, including sexual violence, investigate and fairly prosecute those responsible, and work to demobilize and disarm violent groups.

Local authorities in Manipur should protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in their response to the current situation. Security forces should adhere to United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officialswhich provide that security forces shall use the minimum necessary force at all times. When dispersing violent gatherings, firearms may be used only when other less harmful means are not practical, but to the minimum extent necessary. Law enforcement officers may deliberately resort to lethal force only when absolutely unavoidable in order to protect life.

“The Manipur government has lost the trust of communities due to its partisan politics and failure to protect against violence,” Ganguly said. “It can begin to build that trust by ensuring that victims and their families receive prompt compensation, those responsible for abuses are held accountable, and all communities are protected from further violence.”