Meitei Insurgents, Central Forces Accused of Killing 2 Kuki-Zo ‘Village Volunteers’ in Manipur

Bodies Dismembered After the Attack

Newsreel Asia Insight #191
April 14, 2024

Violence escalated in Manipur on April 13, just days before the Lok Sabha election, as two Kuki-Zo village volunteers were killed in attacks involving gunfire and mortars, allegedly by central forces, as claimed by a local tribal organisation. Following this, Meitei insurgents and extremists entered the area, where they dragged, mutilated and stomped on the bodies, as per videos that circulated on social media.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) claimed that central forces, positioned to maintain peace, collaborated with Meitei militants, resulting in the deaths of Kamminlal Lupheng, 23, and Kamlengsat Lunkim, 25. The volunteers were part of a civilian guard, a role that has become necessary due to ongoing ethnic conflict in the northeastern state that started in May 2023.

“A combined team of (Meitei extremist group) Arambai Tenggol and UNLF militants has been attacking tribal areas since yesterday (April 12) and openly posting about their activity on social media,” ITLF said. “When clashes broke out today (April 13) between the two sides, central security forces posted nearby resorted to firing heavily (witnesses said it was raining bullets) towards the hills. They also fired mortars, which killed (the two volunteers) and forced other volunteers to retreat from their bunkers.”

The Meitei insurgents then entered the area, finding one victim inside a bunker and another nearby. The Meiteis inhabit the Imphal Valley, the state’s political and economic heartland. The Kuki-Zos reside in the hill districts.

The UNLF, or the United National Liberation Front, is one of the oldest insurgent groups in Manipur. It was established in 1964 with the objective of establishing a sovereign and independent Manipur. The UNLF seeks to overthrow the Indian government’s rule in the region through armed struggle, citing historical grievances and the desire for self-determination of the Manipuri people.

ITLF strongly condemned the central forces’ alleged part in the killings and the subsequent brutal treatment of the bodies, demanding that they be returned to their families immediately.

A local politician from the opposition Congress party, Dr. Lamtinthang Haokip, pointed to the role of Bihar Regiment. “Is the Bihar Regiment responsible or hand-in-glove with the militia groups for today’s brutality in #Manipur?” he wrote on X.

The Committee on Tribal Unity echoed ITLF’s sentiments, condemning what they described as a “state-sponsored clandestine attack” by Meitei militants. The Committee highlighted the events of April 12, when a Kuki-Zo labourer was injured in the Kuki-Zo dominated area of Gamgiphai.

There has been a deep-seated ethnic tension between the majority-Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribal people in Manipur. The ongoing conflict has already resulted in numerous casualties and significant displacement, with nearly 170 Kuki-Zo deaths and over 41,000 people forced to flee their homes since May 2023.

The violence started after a directive from the Manipur High Court to the state government, contemplating the possibility of granting the tribal status to the majority Meitei community, which would also allow them to buy land in Kuki-Zo territories. The decision ignited protests among the tribal communities, which rapidly escalated into widespread violence on May 3, 2023, fuelled by disinformation and extremist rhetoric.

The conflict also has strong economic underpinnings. The Kuki-Zo areas are rich in natural resources, including significant oil deposits, which have made them a target for both governmental and corporate interests.

May 3 will mark the first anniversary of the ongoing violence.