Manipur Burned: A Tale of Violence, Governance Failures, and Judicial Intervention !

MOHAN KHOUND

The years 2023 and 2024 will be remembered as one of the most harrowing in the history of Manipur. Ethnic strife, a deep-seated governance vacuum, and delayed responses have left scars on the state that will take years, if not decades, to heal. The Supreme Court, despite its limited role in executive matters, has emerged as a key actor in holding the authorities accountable and attempting to ameliorate the situation in the state.

The Roots of the Conflict

Manipur, with its complex demographic and cultural tapestry, has long been a land of fractures. Home to 34 recognized Scheduled Tribes, the state’s geography starkly divides its population. The hill areas, constituting 90% of Manipur’s territory, are inhabited by tribal communities, predominantly Christian Kukis and Nagas.

In contrast, the Imphal Valley, which makes up just 10% of the land, is dominated by the Hindu Meitei community, which comprises 53% of the population. This geographical disparity fuels socio-political tensions, with the Meitei community prohibited from owning land in the tribal-protected areas.

The violence that engulfed Manipur in May 2023 was sparked by a judicial order. The Manipur High Court directed the state government to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list, ostensibly to preserve their cultural heritage. This move was met with fierce resistance from the tribal communities, who saw it as a threat to their rights and land ownership.

A protest, organized as a Tribal Solidarity March by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM), turned violent, setting off a chain of events that would result in the deaths of nearly 200 people, displace over 70,000, and destroy 5,000 homes. Religious places, schools, and government buildings were not spared.

Deep-Rooted Grievances

While the court’s order acted as a spark, the underlying causes of the conflict were manifold. The state government’s eviction of tribal residents from reserved forest areas, the withdrawal from peace agreements with tribal insurgent groups, and the crackdown on ‘illegal’ poppy cultivation—an economic lifeline for many Kukis—exacerbated tensions.

The divide between the Meitei and Kuki communities deepened, creating exclusive zones where members of one community could not safely enter the other’s territory. This segregation made relief and rehabilitation efforts even more challenging.

The Supreme Court Steps In

As violence escalated, the Supreme Court of India intervened on May 9, 2023, in response to petitions challenging the Manipur High Court’s order and seeking protection for affected communities. The Court directed both the Union and state governments to ensure the provision of necessities in relief camps, the safety of displaced persons, and the protection of religious sites.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Court took unprecedented steps. It constituted a three-member committee, led by Justice Gita Mittal, to oversee relief, rehabilitation, and compensation measures. Additionally, Maharashtra’s Director General of Police, Dattatray Padsalgikar, was appointed to supervise investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Court also addressed critical issues such as the lethargic police response to sexual violence cases, directing the government to expedite investigations and improve victim compensation schemes. It ordered the trials of violence-related cases to be conducted in Assam for impartiality and allowed virtual hearings to ensure the safety of victims and witnesses.

The Viral Assault Case

A particularly horrifying incident highlighted the gravity of the situation. On May 4, two Kuki-Zo women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Kangpokpi district. The crime came to light only in July, when a video of the incident went viral, sparking nationwide outrage. The Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the case, criticizing the state police for their delay in registering cases and making arrests.

Governance Failures and International Attention

The crisis in Manipur underscored significant failures of both state and central authorities. Despite the scale of the violence, responses were slow and inadequate. In a scathing observation, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna remarked that there had been a “complete breakdown of constitutional machinery and law and order” in the state.

The international community also took note. The European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the violence, and protests erupted in various parts of the world, including Malaysia. Critics accused the Indian government of double standards, with some alleging deliberate inaction.

Impact on Daily Life

The conflict has left Manipur’s society deeply fractured. Many families are still waiting for compensation, with reports indicating that less than half of eligible victims have received relief. The blockade of key areas, including Moreh on the Myanmar border, has disrupted food and medicine supplies.

Education has also suffered. Students displaced by the violence have struggled to continue their studies, prompting the Supreme Court to direct central universities in neighboring states to admit affected students or offer online education options.

The judiciary also took measures to address long-pending issues, such as the burial or cremation of unclaimed bodies. Following its directions, 87 victims were laid to rest in Churachandpur just before Christmas, providing some solace to grieving families.

Attacks on Activists and Academics

The violence extended beyond physical assaults to targeting voices of dissent. Academics, lawyers, and activists faced harassment and criminal charges for speaking out against the government’s handling of the crisis. The Supreme Court intervened to protect individuals like journalist Makepeace Sitlhou, whose tweets critical of the Manipur government led to legal action.

A Bleak Future

As 2024 came to a close, Manipur remained a divided and traumatized state. The Supreme Court, through its interventions, has attempted to fill the void left by executive inaction, but the path to peace and reconciliation remains uncertain.

The year-long crisis has left deep scars on the people of Manipur, as well as on the credibility of governance in India. While judicial oversight has brought some semblance of accountability, the need for lasting political and social solutions is more urgent than ever.

Manipur’s story serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of ignoring inter-community grievances and the critical importance of proactive governance. Without meaningful action, the ghosts of 2023 will continue to haunt the state for years to come.

The ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur has drawn the Supreme Court of India into a role it would ideally avoid: actively monitoring and directing a response to the crisis. On its recent directive, the Supreme Court instructed the Manipur government to provide detailed accounts of destroyed and encroached properties following the ethnic violence that erupted more than a year and a half ago.

While such measures are typically the responsibility of the executive, the state’s failure to address the conflict and the lack of substantive action by the Union government have necessitated judicial intervention.

The Court had earlier extended the tenure of the Justice Gita Mittal-led Committee, which was established to oversee investigations into the violence and facilitate humanitarian aid.

This intervention underscores the inadequacy of the executive’s response to the crisis, despite the gravity of the situation: the burning of homes, the destruction of places of worship, and harrowing accounts of sexual violence. These disturbing events have not only shaken Manipur but also exposed a significant governance vacuum.

Judicial Oversight in the Absence of Executive Action

The Supreme Court’s involvement has been compelled by the apparent inertia of both state and central governments. The Union government has largely refrained from addressing the crisis in public forums, choosing instead to sideline the issue despite mounting pressure from civil society and political opposition. Meanwhile, the state government has struggled to bridge the widening ethnic chasm between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

Even within political circles, the conflict has fractured representatives along ethnic lines, making reconciliation appear increasingly distant. With both governance and political will in short supply, non-state actors have seized the opportunity to wield influence. Armed groups, often in possession of sophisticated weaponry looted from state armories, have exacerbated the crisis, perpetuating violence in areas like Jiribam that had previously been untouched by ethnic hostilities.

A Nation’s Attention, Only When the Violence Escalates

Manipur’s descent into chaos has repeatedly made headlines, but national attention tends to wane until fresh violence erupts on an unimaginable scale. The ethnic violence, which first flared in May 2023, has claimed countless lives, displaced thousands, and shattered trust between communities. Despite assurances from the government about efforts to restore order and address political differences, the situation remains precarious.

The recent violence in Jiribam highlights the alarming rise of non-state actors who are exploiting the fragile security landscape. With the lines of governance blurred and lawlessness prevailing in many areas, the path to stability appears increasingly fraught. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asserted that steps are being taken to restore normalcy, but the absence of tangible progress raises questions about the effectiveness of these measures.

Secrecy vs. Accountability

The Court’s directive for transparency stands in stark contrast to the government’s reliance on the rhetoric of “national security” to shield itself from scrutiny. Attorneys representing the state have sought to keep the Justice Mittal Committee’s findings under wraps, citing concerns over security. However, such secrecy only fuels suspicions of a lack of accountability and risks undermining efforts to find meaningful solutions to the conflict.

Across the world, mechanisms such as “truth and reconciliation” commissions have demonstrated the importance of transparency and accountability in resolving conflicts. These initiatives prioritize addressing grievances, acknowledging harm, and fostering trust — principles that remain largely absent in Manipur’s current approach to conflict resolution.

A Long Road Ahead

The Supreme Court’s renewed emphasis on monitoring Manipur is undoubtedly welcome, but judicial intervention alone cannot resolve the deep-seated ethnic divisions and governance failures plaguing the state. The findings of the Justice Mittal Committee could serve as a vital catalyst for meaningful action, but their impact will depend on the willingness of both the state and central governments to act decisively.

Rebuilding trust between communities requires a multi-pronged approach, one that includes ensuring justice for victims, disarming non-state actors, and addressing the socio-political grievances that fuel ethnic tensions. Without these steps, the Court’s oversight risks becoming an exercise in futility, offering temporary relief without addressing the underlying causes of the conflict.

As Manipur continues to grapple with violence, displacement, and mistrust, the state’s tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the cost of political inertia and governance failure. The Supreme Court’s intervention has provided a glimmer of hope, but the road to peace and reconciliation remains long and arduous.

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