India Today NE ground report: Did insurgent groups use sophisticated weapons during Manipur violence?

If eye witness accounts are to be believed, insurgent groups, using sophisticate assault weapons, took part in the violence that erupted in Manipur on May 3, found an India Today NE on-ground visit. Social media accounts have already been inundated with images of “protestors” wielding sophisticated weapons such as AK-47s. Both communities made accusations and counter-allegations against each other, of alleged involvement of underground groups.

 

When India Today NE team visited Churachandpur, one of the epicentres of the violence, arson, and mayhem, several survivors recounted how a “peaceful protest” which was part of the Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM)-led “Tribal Solidarity March” against the demand of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Meiteis, spiraled out of control.

 

Ginza Vualzong, convenor of Indigenous tribal leaders forum, who was present at the march, says that while the rally was peaceful, somewhere between the boundaries of Churachandpur and Bishnupur district, miscreants from the Imphal valley set fire to the Anglo Peace centenary. These miscreants also destroyed the houses of tribals in the surrounding area, which further escalated the tension, alleges Ginza. In response, Meitei houses were also destroyed. 

The situation worsened when participants of the march tried to reach the border areas. Ginza alleges that insurgent groups from the valley and some police personnel began firing on them, causing injuries to some of those participating in the tribal march. In retaliation, some insurgent groups from the Kuki community, a community Ginza belongs to, rushed to the scene to “save their people”. A member of the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF), a Kuki group, also reiterated the same charge—that the march turned violent because of “the actions of some miscreants who came from the Imphal valley. 

Similar allegations were raised by people from the Meitei community. Abung Singh, one of the Meitei survivors in Churachandpur says that Kuki insurgent groups fired at them and burnt down houses of Meitei people. In an interview with India Today NE, he says that he used his licensed gun to protect his family. 

Violent clashes broke out Manipur during the “Tribal Solidarity March”, which was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for ST status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley which is 10 per cent of the total geographic area of the state. 

 

The two broad tribal communities—Nagas and Kukis—constitute the rest of the population and live in hills, which cover 90 per cent of Manipur’s total area. There is history of communal tension between the Meiteis and the two tribal groups over multiple issues—development, political power, land rights, tribal status and illegal influx. Of the 60 assembly seats in Manipur, 40 are from Imphal valley. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is also a Meitei.

 

In recent times, Meitei groups have alleged that illegal immigration from Myanmar has artificially increased Kuki population. On the other hand, the Manipur government’s recent evictions of Kuki people from reserved forest areas also resulted in a series of agitations. Another contentious issue was the government drive against poppy cultivation. Many Kuki organisations claimed that the government unfairly targeted Kuki-inhabited areas vilified the tribe even though other communities are also involved in poppy cultivation.

 

While the situation in the violence-hit state is gradually returning to normalcy, with no fresh reports of any untoward incidents reported from the state in last one week, a palpable continues on the ground. More than 20,000 people, who were left stranded in relief camps, have now been gradually returning home.

 

Around 65 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses including religious places burnt in the ethnic violence that rocked the north-eastern state. More than 200 arms, out of the more than 1,000 looted from state police forces, have been recovered.  Chief Minister Biren Singh has announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for violence victims and Rs 2 lakh for destroyed homes.