The conflict between the Meitei and the Kuki that has gripped Manipur in recent months has complex roots, linked to land, identity, autonomy, and the drug trade. But it has been aggravated by the ineptitude of the state's chief minister and his party’s lack of political will to seek a resolution.
NEW DELHI – India is no stranger to periodic outbursts of violence. But the slow-burning horror in its northeastern state of Manipur has shaken the country and paralyzed its parliament. And there is no resolution in sight.
A small state bordering Myanmar, Manipur has been rocked since early May by a fierce conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities over land, tribal status, the drug trade, and migration. The fighting has left a trail of humiliation, injury, and death. Women have been publicly stripped, their dignity robbed by rival factions; in some particularly horrific cases, they have been raped and murdered. Countless lives have been uprooted, with the ruins of people’s property serving as grim reminders of the insecurity they face. And, so far, the central government and opposition parties have made negligible progress in ending the horror and restoring peace.
The conflict in Manipur didn’t erupt overnight. A complex web of factors has contributed to the current situation, above all important demographic imbalances. The Meiteis complain that they own just 10% of the state’s land, despite comprising 53% of its population. Although the Kukis account for just 16% of the population, together with the Nagas (24% of the population), they control 90% of the state’s land. Kukis maintain that 90% of their 90% is barren, rocky, and hilly, whereas Meitei lands are fertile and richly cultivated.
NEW DELHI – India is no stranger to periodic outbursts of violence. But the slow-burning horror in its northeastern state of Manipur has shaken the country and paralyzed its parliament. And there is no resolution in sight.
A small state bordering Myanmar, Manipur has been rocked since early May by a fierce conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities over land, tribal status, the drug trade, and migration. The fighting has left a trail of humiliation, injury, and death. Women have been publicly stripped, their dignity robbed by rival factions; in some particularly horrific cases, they have been raped and murdered. Countless lives have been uprooted, with the ruins of people’s property serving as grim reminders of the insecurity they face. And, so far, the central government and opposition parties have made negligible progress in ending the horror and restoring peace.
The conflict in Manipur didn’t erupt overnight. A complex web of factors has contributed to the current situation, above all important demographic imbalances. The Meiteis complain that they own just 10% of the state’s land, despite comprising 53% of its population. Although the Kukis account for just 16% of the population, together with the Nagas (24% of the population), they control 90% of the state’s land. Kukis maintain that 90% of their 90% is barren, rocky, and hilly, whereas Meitei lands are fertile and richly cultivated.