Imphal: Fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s Churachandpur district Wednesday afternoon after a spell of calm over the preceding days. As the day progressed, tensions spread to other areas as tribal groups in the Hill districts came together in a solidarity rally for what they describe as an effort to secure their rights and constitutional safeguards.
While a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the seven Hill districts Wednesday by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), separate demonstrations were held in a few Valley areas during the ATSUM rallies.
Incidents of arson and stone-pelting were subsequently reported from parts of Churachandpur, a Hill district, and the neighbouring Valley district of Bishnupur. Several houses were reportedly burnt down, and local residents told ThePrint that a few people sustained injuries in the clashes.
On Wednesday evening, the Manipur government cited the propagation of hate speech and rumours on social media by “anti-social elements” and barred mobile internet services across the state for five days.
The solidarity march was called by the ATSUM to “protect the interest of the tribals” against the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by a section of non-tribals or the Meiteis in the Valley areas.
Leaders of the Kuki community have also accused the state government of targeting legitimate residents of Manipur by carrying out evictions in villages, which the administration says have sprung up on encroached reserved forest land.
Thousands of members of the Kuki community, and its various sub-tribes, attended Wednesday’s rallies, as did groups of Nagas. The rallies were called under the theme, “Come Now, let us reason together”.
During the rally in Churachandpur, unidentified miscreants resorted to arson at several localities like Bungmual, Singnat, Muallum and Mata Mualtam. A few forest beat offices were set on fire in these areas.
Eyewitnesses described stone-pelting between groups of local residents in the Kangvai Torbung area of Churachandpur after reports of an arson attack at the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial.
Police in the two districts resorted to firing teargas shells to break up the clashes.
The organisation leading the movement for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM), clarified later that it had not called for any protest or blockade against the solidarity rally by the tribal communities.
Earlier in the day, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh took to social media and emphasised dialogue as a solution.
“Kindly avoid giving hindrance in traffic movement in the roads. Things can be solved through dialogue.”
ThePrint reached the Superintendents of Police in both Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts through calls, but a response is awaited.
Following the violence, security was beefed up in Churachandpur, and additional security forces rushed in. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 remain imposed in Churachandpur since 27 April.
By Wednesday evening, violence had reportedly spread to Imphal West district following rumours on social media. Section 144 has been imposed in the district amid reports of arson from some places.
With reports of simmering tension, prohibitory orders have also been imposed in the Hill districts of Tengnoupal, Senapati, Jiribam, Pherzawl, as well as in Kakching, Bishnupur and Thoubal in the Valley.
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Tribal Solidarity March
Geographically, Manipur is divided into the Hill and Valley areas. The Hill areas comprise 90 per of the total geographical area and are inhabited by broad groups of Naga and Kuki-Chin-Mizo or Zo ethnic tribes. The Valley areas are dominated by the non-tribals or the Meiteis.
The solidarity call by ATSUM was supported by civil society organisations, tribal hohos or inpis (apex bodies), headmen or chief associations, and church leaders.
While internet services were restored in Churachandpur Tuesday afternoon, loudspeaker announcements were made the same evening to call on people to participate in the rally.
In Churachandpur, about 50,000 people gathered at the Lamka public ground, spanning all age groups, student leaders said. Some of the younger participants were spotted wearing T-shirts with the message: ‘Tribals United’. Around the same time, thousands of others had assembled for similar rallies in the other Hill districts.
The ATSUM has also submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the deputy commissioners in all Hill districts.
“The demand for ST status by the Meitei/Meetei now, 70 years after the Constitution of India made a provision for Scheduled Tribes, is only a nefarious policy to exploit constitutional measures to grasp and dispossess the tribal people in the hills from their lands,” the ATSUM memorandum reads.
“The land of the tribal peoples in the hills of Manipur is protected by the constitutional provisions under Section 158 of the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (MLR and LR) Act, 1960, under Article 371C of Indian Constitution, which stated that tribal land cannot be transferred to non-tribal individuals, including Meiteis,” it adds.
The memorandum describes the Meiteis as an “advanced community” inhabiting the plains of the state, and constituting over 60 per cent of the total population.
If the Meiteis are granted ST status, the ATSUM memorandum adds, the “constitutional and legal protection given to the marginalised tribals of Manipur will become null and void”.
Demand for ST status
The movement for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category is led by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM).
Speaking to ThePrint, STDCM General Secretary Bhogendrajit Keithellaapam said, “No protest was called by our organisation today, because we do not want any confrontation or unwanted disturbances. We treat our Hill people like our own brothers, but don’t know why they are so against us.”
However, he reiterated that it’s a constitutional right for every community to demand ST status.
“We seek constitutional safeguards as an indigenous community of Manipur,” he added. “We have no intention to encroach upon the interests of fellow indigenes. We feel the apprehension of the Hill people is regarding the reservation quota, jobs, and even land,” said Keithellaapam.
“We are one of the oldest indigenous people of Manipur, but like outsiders in our own state. In the Valley, any person from any part of the country (including STs of the state) can settle,” he added. “Also, our population is shrinking.”
The Meiteis, he said, accounted for 59 per cent of Manipur’s population in 1951, but dropped to 44 per cent in 2011.
The Meiteis (also known as Meetei, Kathe or Manipuri) was recognised as a forest tribe in 1891 Census records, he added.
“In 1901, we were recorded as one of the main tribes, and in 1931, we were considered a Hindu tribe, retaining our distinctive cultures and language,” he said. “But, we were left out from the 1950 ST list, for reasons best known to the government.”
This report has been updated with additional information.
An earlier version of the report got the location of the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial wrong. A clarification has also been added about the nature of the second set of demonstrations held during the ATSUM rallies.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)