DIRECT ANSWER: Resolving ethnic conflict in Manipur necessitates immediate de-escalation, addressing the deep mistrust between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, and restoring effective governance across both the valley and hill districts. Challenges include managing porous international borders, controlling armed non-state actors, and establishing genuine dialogue platforms rooted in historical justice and equitable resource distribution, crucial for long-term stability.
Why in News?
Manipur has witnessed prolonged inter-ethnic violence since May 2023, following clashes over scheduled tribe status demands and eviction drives. The crisis exposed critical failures in state governance, intelligence coordination, and internal security mechanisms, necessitating massive intervention by Central security forces and administrative changes at the highest levels.
What is the Concept / Issue?
The conflict is a deep-seated dispute over land, identity, and political representation between the majority Meitei community (residing primarily in the Imphal Valley) and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities (residing mainly in the surrounding hill districts). Key factors include differing perceptions of illegal immigration, competition for scarce resources, historical imbalances in development, and the protection status afforded to tribal lands under constitutional provisions like Article 371C.
Why is this Issue Important?
- Strategic: Impacts India's Act East Policy; destabilizes the sensitive international border region with Myanmar, potentially increasing cross-border insurgency, arms trafficking, and drug smuggling networks.
- Economic: Halts crucial economic activity, destroys physical and social infrastructure, disrupts key national highways (the economic lifelines of the state), and severely damages investor confidence in the entire North Eastern Region.
- Geopolitical/Social: Leads to massive internal displacement (IDP crisis), deep communal polarization, and undermines the constitutional principle of peaceful co-existence, creating a serious humanitarian crisis.
Key Sectors / Dimensions Involved
- Dimension 1: Constitutional and Governance Vacuum: Failure of the state's dual administrative structure (valley vs. hills), implications of invoking Article 355 (Central supervision), and the compromised trust in state law enforcement agencies.
- Dimension 2: Internal Security Dynamics: Proliferation of sophisticated arms among civilian groups, resurgence of existing and new armed non-state actors, and challenges in border management along the India-Myanmar border, including issues with the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
- Dimension 3: Land Rights and Demography: Disputes over land ownership, protection of Reserved/Protected Forests, implications of granting/denying ST status, and the threat perceived by various communities regarding demographic shifts.
What are the Challenges?
- Siloed Administration: The complete functional separation and mistrust between valley-based and hill-based administrative structures have paralyzed essential governance and service delivery.
- Lack of Trust and Neutrality: Deep institutional mistrust among warring communities towards both state and central security agencies, rendering current peace talks and committees ineffective due to perceived bias.
- Illegal Immigration and Arms: Difficulty in sealing the porous India-Myanmar border, contributing to the influx of illegal immigrants, insurgents, and sophisticated weaponry, escalating violence potential.
- Historical Grievance and Political Polarization: Inability of political leadership to move beyond short-term security measures and address the fundamental socioeconomic and historical grievances fueling the conflict.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims Focus:
- Article 371C (Special provisions for Manipur), Free Movement Regime (FMR) across the India-Myanmar border, geographical distribution of Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities, and related constitutional safeguards.
- Mandate and role of central paramilitary forces (Assam Rifles, BSF) in maintaining law and order in the North East.
- Scheduled Tribes (ST) reservation criteria and classification.
Mains Angle:
GS Paper II – Issues related to development and management of Social Sector/Services (IDP crisis, social polarization); GS Paper III – Linkages between development and spread of extremism, Internal Security Challenges and border management in conflict zones.
How UPSC May Ask This Topic:
Examine the multifaceted challenges to internal security and governance posed by the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur. Suggest comprehensive steps for facilitating genuine dialogue and ensuring long-term peace and reconciliation by addressing root causes. (250 words)
What is the Way Forward?
- Establish Neutral Authority: Create a Centrally supervised, high-level non-partisan commission for relief, rehabilitation, and dialogue, insulated from local political pressures, to rebuild confidence among all groups.
- Border Management Reform: Immediately suspend or significantly review the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and enhance physical sealing and surveillance of the India-Myanmar border to curb illicit movement of arms and individuals.
- Address Land Governance Equitably: Undertake a transparent, constitutional review of land distribution and tribal protections (Article 371C), potentially involving impartial judicial scrutiny, ensuring fairness in forest and land rights enforcement.
- Economic Reconciliation Packages: Implement targeted, decentralized economic development packages focusing on shared infrastructure projects (health, education, connectivity) that necessitate inter-community cooperation for successful implementation and shared benefit.