Triangular clash underway in Manipur A look back at ethnic clashes
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It is a triangular clash. Kuki versus the Meitei since the evening of May 3, 2023. Kuki versus the Naga since April 2026. On the other side there is Imphal, Delhi and Central forces, particularly the Assam Rifles who are supposedly there to resolve the crisis. Kuki is the character that is central in both the cases here and if one goes back a little down the years, this is not the first time that this community is in the thick of clashes with other ethnic groups. The Naga-Kuki clash of 1992 to 1997, the Kuki-Paite clash of 1997 to 1998 are two examples that will come to the mind of everyone immediately but this does not tell the whole story of when the Kuki was central in all the ethnic clashes that Manipur and the North East region have witnessed down the decades. A rough look back says that the Kuki as a people was in the thick of it all in the Kuki-Hmar clash as long back as 1963, Kuki-Karbi clash in 2000, the Kuki-Dimasa clash in 2005 and Kuki-Garo clash of 2006. These are but just some examples that come to mind and perhaps it is due to this experience that the Kuki people have learnt the art of weaving the victim story to near perfection. An art that took the Meiteis off guard when violence erupted on May 3, 2023 and the victim stories that were churned out with so much dexterity had won over quite a number of ‘story tellers’ which portrayed them as the victim at the hands of a ‘brute majority’. The same story is sought to be told this time too when innocent Naga people have been held in captivity qualified with the line, ‘we have released all the Naga hostages and the six Naga men missing are not in our custody.’ Rewind to May 13, 2026 when three Thadou Church leaders were killed in a cold blooded attack on German/Tiger road while they were returning to Kangpokpi from Churachandpur and a condemnation statement came flying out from the closet of the Kuki Inpi, Manipur and in the process pointed the finger of accusation at the NSCN (IM) and the ZUF (Kamson). The only thing KIM overlooked or were blinded by the dust kicked up by the manufactured lies was the condemnation statement was dated May 6, 2026. A striking lie detected by the United Naga Council. The Sangai Express has already had its say on how far fetched the theory of a Naga group venturing into a Kuki dominated area and executing a clinical ambush sounds and it is surprising to see that Delhi and even Imphal do not seem to have taken cognizance of this fact. This is how things stand right now, so while Manipur burns, with the clash having extended to the hills between the Kuki and the Naga, Delhi and Imphal seem to be still groping in the dark.
Still groping in the dark after more than three years and this is where questions on the sincerity of Delhi to let normalcy return emerge. Why ? Only Delhi, particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs will have the answer, and it is this which has given room for conspiracy theories to fly thick and fast. If Delhi knows the answer and the issue has not been resolved yet, then what is the agenda in keeping Manipur burning for over three years, is naturally the question that follows and this is where the trust deficit emerges. It is also now clear on how closely the Central security forces are working with the State Government under the Unified Command structure. It was not so long back that the Chief Minister of Manipur himself announced that he is back as the Chairman of the Unified Command and if this is the case then why was there such a big ‘communication gap’ when the State Home Minister ruled out the involvement of Myanmar based militants in the torching of three border villages of Wanglee, Namlee and Z Choro while the Assam Rifles in a statement announced that a Tangkhul lady was captured by the Myanmar based KNA (B) militants and she was rescued ? The contrasting statements came out on the same day and there has been no clarification from either side till date. In such a climate, how much can the people trust the State Government and the Central security forces to resolve the issue ? And when was the last time the SoO camps were inspected ? Why is the State Government shying away from letting the public know this ?
Still groping in the dark after more than three years and this is where questions on the sincerity of Delhi to let normalcy return emerge. Why ? Only Delhi, particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs will have the answer, and it is this which has given room for conspiracy theories to fly thick and fast. If Delhi knows the answer and the issue has not been resolved yet, then what is the agenda in keeping Manipur burning for over three years, is naturally the question that follows and this is where the trust deficit emerges. It is also now clear on how closely the Central security forces are working with the State Government under the Unified Command structure. It was not so long back that the Chief Minister of Manipur himself announced that he is back as the Chairman of the Unified Command and if this is the case then why was there such a big ‘communication gap’ when the State Home Minister ruled out the involvement of Myanmar based militants in the torching of three border villages of Wanglee, Namlee and Z Choro while the Assam Rifles in a statement announced that a Tangkhul lady was captured by the Myanmar based KNA (B) militants and she was rescued ? The contrasting statements came out on the same day and there has been no clarification from either side till date. In such a climate, how much can the people trust the State Government and the Central security forces to resolve the issue ? And when was the last time the SoO camps were inspected ? Why is the State Government shying away from letting the public know this ?