Explained: What sparked new cycle of violence in Manipur
A new wave of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities has engulfed Manipur's Jiribam district since November 7. The violence has claimed at least 19 lives, including 10 Kuki men branded as "militants" by police, a claim the Kuki tribes contest, asserting they were "village volunteers." The trigger for the violence was a gruesome attack on a Hmar village where a Hmar tribe school teacher was allegedly violated and killed by suspected Meitei militants.
Brutal attack on Hmar village sparks violence
The violence was sparked by a gruesome incident in a Hmar village where a school teacher, also belonging to the same tribe, was allegedly raped, shot, killed and set on fire by suspected Meitei militants. Her home was one of several others torched in the attack. Eyewitnesses said the attackers were armed with assault rifles and melee weapons, looting homes and setting 19 houses ablaze while stealing cash, mobile phones and other valuables.
Accusations and retaliations intensify ethnic conflict
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders's Forum (ITLF) and other Kuki civil society groups have blamed the Meitei armed group Arambai Tenggol (AT), which claims to be a "volunteer" group defending Meitei communities, for the attack. In retaliation, six members of a Meitei family, including an infant, a two-year-old boy, and an eight-year-old girl were killed by suspected Kuki militants. This cycle of violence has upended life in this multi-ethnic district which remained peaceful for over a year till June 2023.
Escalating violence leads to tragic deaths and hostage situation
On November 8, a Meitei woman was shot dead, allegedly by suspected Kuki militants. Three days later, 10 suspected Kuki militants were killed by the Central Reserve Police Force in Jiribam's Borobekra area. On the same day, six members of a Meitei family were taken hostage by suspected Kuki militants. By November 15, three partially decomposed bodies were found floating in a river and more bodies identified as those of the six hostages were discovered over the following days.
Calls for investigation amid ongoing violence
Kuki civil society organizations have demanded an inquiry into these incidents, claiming that Meitei miscreants torched at least five churches on November 16. The unabated violence has left the residents traumatized and scared for their lives. Many villagers returned to their homes with security forces' assurances but now face fresh threats amid rising tensions between the communities.
