“Manipur: The Interminable Battleground”, My Ind Maker, July 09, 2026
“Manipur is the sacred homeland of communities that have co-existed for a long time, with the Meiteis being the numerically dominant. Tribes such as Anal, Angami, Chiru, Chothe, Inpui, Kabui, Lamkang, Liangmei, Mao, Maram, Maring, Monsang, Moyon, Poumei, Rongmei, Sema/Sumi, Tangkhul, Tarao, Thangal, Zeme, etc. are organisationally identified as ‘Naga’. Others like Gangte, Koirao, Mate, Paite, Ralte, Simte, Suhte, Thadou, etc. are identified as ‘Kuki’. Although Mizo, Hmar, and Zou maintain separate identities, they are allied with Kukis. Intermediary communities such as Aimol, Kharam, Koireng, Kom, Purum, and Koirao maintain separate identities, but they shift organisational affiliation depending upon time and circumstances. All these tribes except the Meiteis are listed as Scheduled Tribes (STs). There are other linguistic groups of recent migrants as well. They together constitute the ‘People of Manipur’.
Manipur’s pre-colonial past was marked by sporadic tribal feuds and raids for resources and booty. After 1949, there have been aberrative but reconciliable communal conflicts incited by external divisive forces and internal dissensions, leading to numerous intra- and inter-community clashes, e.g. clashes among different ST communities either for land or domination over cross-border trade routes: Naga-Kuki conflict (1992-1997), Kuki-Paite conflict (1997-1998), etc. These were controlled and the warring factions were brought to reconciliation largely by the pressure of democratic forces that upheld the need for collective co-existence. But Manipur has been in a civil-war-like situation for more than three years now. A conflict that began in the summer of 2023 simply doesn’t seem to end!
A state with a centuries-old history, and known to the rest of the world for its scenic beauty, rich cultural heritage, beautiful dance forms, and world-renowned artists and sports talents, has been reduced to a failed state characterised by uncertainty, unprecedented violence and chaos. It is an engineered violence that has somehow allowed the people of Manipur and across the world to realise that we are living in a dangerous environment amidst not one, but many civilisational enemies. Immigrants from other lands and their militants have taught the Manipuris a tough lesson. The conflict certainly cannot be read or analysed only through the lens of issues like demand for ST status by Meiteis, perceived discrimination against tribals, and development gaps, while overlooking other critical cultural, historical, and civilisational factors…….”
Read full article at myind.net
