Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has promised justice to errant criminal perpetrators who murdered six people, including women and children, calling the crime a “crime against humanity.” It has raised the violence-dipped tension in the northeastern state.
The latest incidence has further raised angst over the former tribal conflict in Manipur against unique Kuki-Zo people, the transgressor armed groups killing women and children indiscriminately.
Outrage erupted throughout the state over the killing of innocent people, all belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribe, which had, over five long months, relentlessly suffered ethnic violence amid tribal clashes against the Meitei community. Over two hundred lives were lost, and countless others were displaced.
Chief Minister Singh expressed condolences and reiterated the assurance from the government to instigate peace and provide justice: “Killing women and children is sheer barbarism and a heinous crime against humanity,” Singh urged the need to bring the culprits to book urgently. Police accounts state that law enforcement has begun with intensive regional operations to locate the suspects.
The ethnic violence that has rocked the state is a consequence of long-standing issues over land rights, political representation, and tribal identity. While the erstwhile tribal conflict among the communities irritated public life, the forces found it hard to maintain order in such dire situations.
Lately, mobs attacked the Chief Minister’s ancestral house in Imphal, which echoed the deep-seated anger and frustration among communities.
Community leaders and human rights organizations call upon the government to devise a settlement of the underlying grievances for justice for those killed. Negotiations between combatants have met with an avalanche of challenges, such as deep mistrust and accusations of bias to undermine attempts at peace initiatives.
The ongoing spates of violence, targeting women and children, have made the situation in Manipur increasingly precarious since ethnic riots broke out in May 2023. This ongoing ethnic clash between the Kukis-Zos and the Meitei has sparked violence that has already claimed hundreds of lives in clashes. The most recent attack has intensified the tension, with communities fearfully predicting targeted violence.
To stem further violence, the Chief Minister stated that security forces would be sent more and more to crucial areas. Surveillance activities have intensified through drone monitoring and nighttime patrols. Singh has also started delegating the people involved in reconciliation with civil society organizations and community leaders.
The central government is monitoring the situation closely. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is reported to have remained in touch with the Manipur authorities, emphasizing the need for a rapid and fair investigation. Special teams from national agencies have been deployed to aid the local police in unearthing the identity of the culprits.
Although the state government is in the process of restoring order, the deep-rooted grievances between the ethnic communities will remain a formidable challenge to peace in Manipur.
The public, government, and judiciary will need to work together with other stakeholders to deliver justice and durable peace.
