A little more than a year has passed since the “Tribal Solidarity March” violence, in which minority Meitei Hindus were targeted, occurred in Manipur’s Churachandpur. The incident took place on 3 May 2023. In this brutal incident, which is rarely discussed or highlighted in our mainstream public discourse, thousands of Hindus became homeless, more than 200 of them died, and numerous people went missing. They are currently seeking refuge in relief camps located all around the state.

As many characterized it, the conflict began after the All Manipur Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) organized the “Tribal Solidarity March” on 3 May 2023, which turned violent in Churachandpur and the neighbouring villages of Bishnupur. However, issues in the Churachandpur district had developed well before this incident.

The series of events

The Meitei Hindu community in the Churachandpur area was caught off guard and unprepared on 3 May by rampaging Kuki mobs who set fire to their houses in as many as eighteen villages. The Churachandpur district was cleared of all Meiteis in a matter of days, with their homes being methodically levelled by heavy machinery and burned to the ground.

The Kukis destroyed about 1,178 Hindu homes in 18 communities by the middle of May. Lainingthou Sanamahi (Meitei shrines/temples), all reduced to ashes, were located in 1,150 homes. Ten outdoor temples were also set on fire by the Kuki miscreants.

The Churachandpur district, which came under the control of Kukis, saw several horrifying events. According to the report by The Sangai Express, a mother was “pinned down” and “gang-raped” by five or six guys as she ran from a mob with her child until she passed out. During the evacuation, a Kuki mob attacked, and a woman fell to her death. Her family was evacuated to a relief camp in Bishnupur, but they were unable to take her body with them. Her lifeless body was held in the Churachandpur Mini-Secretariat for two days.

As evidence of the anti-Hindu religious nature of the violence, a Meitei man’s life was spared when he said, “I am a Muslim,” when his companion was being pursued by a bunch of “Kuki militants.” The friend is thought to have been slain, but he is still missing.

Participants in the ATSUM “Solidarity March” wandered kilometres into the Bishnupur area on May 3 afternoon and turned violent. At the border villages between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, the demonstrators began vandalizing and burning minority Meitei Hindu shops and houses, with Kuki militants and armed personnel implanted among them. The minority community in Churachandpur district’s eighteen villages began to evacuate after learning of the incident, fearing an attack.

Khuga Tampak Meitei Leikai

Within a few hours after the spree of violence began, the locals heard multiple gunfire rounds and witnessed massive clouds of smoke coming from the Khumujamba Meitei Leikai side. The locals witnessed miscreants from Kuki set fire to a Meitei store close to Hengzou in Khuga Tampak. A few Meitei men emerged and attempted to keep the invaders away from their properties. However, about 20–30 Kuki miscreants began throwing stones at them. First, a store known as the “Kishan shop” was set on fire and destroyed by a bunch of Kuki miscreants from the Moltu side. A while later, four men from the minority Hindu community — Pishak, Monish, Ibungo, and Ajay — were hurt when armed Kuki men opened fire without warning.

Assam Rifles only arrived sometime after midnight and took the Meitei Hindus to the Mini Secretariat. Even while inside the car, they were attacked with sticks and stones by a sizable crowd of Kuki militants en route to the Mini Secretariat. Abujam Ibemhal fell during the attack and passed away. “Kuki men and women tried to attack Meiteis even at the Mini Secretariat several times.” Her lifeless body stayed at the Mini Secretariat for two days, and her family was unable to carry the body with them when they were evacuated to a relief camp at Bishnupur. A few days later, the Meiteis of Khuga Tampak were relocated to the valley, along with other community residents from Churachandpur.

Khumujamba Leikai

Before 3 May, there were over 205 Meitei dwellings in Khumujamba Leikai, with a population of over 1,892. The Hmar village lies to the east of the location, while Paite is to the west and south. Many Meitei locals sought refuge in two pucca houses with sturdy gates after hearing about unrest at Torbung in the afternoon of 3 May. Around five o’clock, they noticed people beating power poles and crowds assembling nearby. The Meiteis inhabitants noticed dense smoke from the burning homes of fellow community members a short while later. The first instance of a Meitei-owned store being set on fire was a “Raghumani shop.” At midnight, Assam Rifles arrived and rescued them.

Meitei Christian Leikai

Before May 3, there were about 21 Meitei households in Meitei Christian Leikai. The majority of the community in and around the area is called Zou. Some sought refuge at a house, while many hurried to the grounds of the Evangelical Free Church of India, sensing unrest was about to break out. The miscreants did not attack the Christian Meitei Leikai, clearly highlighting the religious allegiance of the Kuki terrorists. The Assam Rifles saved them on 4 May at around 4.30 am, and they were taken to the Mini Secretariat. Kuki gangs “attacked” them with stones and wood while travelling to the Mini Secretariat.

The pathetic response of the state

In the wake of the escalating situation, the Meitei Hindus did not receive adequate support from the state machinery. Around 3,000 Meiteis evacuated from various parts of Churachandpur and sought refuge in the Mini Secretariat. According to a report, the thousands of individuals seeking shelter there were not given any basic supplies, and neither the NGO from Churachandpur nor the State Government offered any help during their seven-day stay. The government has shown zero interest in those who lost their homes and livelihoods during this horrific case of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

In July, the Manipur government provided the Supreme Court with information about the displaced Meiteis and Kuki-Zos residing in various relief camps throughout the State. According to that, since ethnic confrontations between the Kuki-Zo group and Meiteis began on 3 May, almost 15,000 members of the latter community living in 19 villages of Churachandpur had either left or been evacuated.

According to figures from the State Government, violence still claims lives after four months of unrest and despite the presence of over 40,000 security forces in the State. In the meantime, on September 9, the Manipur government held a cabinet meeting and approved the construction of homes for victims of violence, costing Rs 75 crore.

Even more disconcerting fact is the reports of systematic demolition and levelling of homes of Meitei Hindus who got displaced in this ethnic cleansing. An upset Ronald told the Waari Singbul, “After we left Churachandpur, numerous Meitei houses, including ours, have been flattened systematically by using heavy machinery by miscreants as if they are the rightful owners of the Meitei plots.” He lamented that “the police, who are fully aware of these illegal acts, have not taken any action against the culprits.”

Apart from this series of barbaric violence faced by the Meitei Hindus, a number of their sacred temples have also been destroyed. According to a compilation by the Working Committee on Protection of Meitei Temples, a whopping 393 temples have been destroyed by Kuki terrorists. It is astounding that this scale of religious persecution goes unnoticed in the supposedly secular state of Bharat.

The destroyed temple compilation is attached herewith for the readers’ benefit.

(Featured image courtesy: The Sangai Express)