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“They burned our homes, our schools, our lives.”
Lhingneilam, 17, Internally Displaced Student from Manipur
It has been over a year since the first bullets were fired, but Manipur is still burning.
What started as an ethnic clash has now grown into one of India’s most prolonged, ignored, and painful internal conflicts. With more than 200 deaths, over 60,000 displaced, and entire villages wiped out the silence of national media and government inaction has left the people of Manipur feeling abandoned.
Where is Manipur?
Manipur is a northeastern Indian state, sharing borders with Myanmar. It’s home to:
- Meiteis (mostly Hindu, in the Imphal valley)
- Kukis and Nagas (tribal, mostly Christian, in hill districts)
What used to be peaceful coexistence is now a war zone.
What Sparked the Violence?
The spark was a court ruling in April 2023 that considered giving Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the dominant Meitei community.
Why was that controversial?
Because ST status would allow Meiteis:
- Access to reserved government jobs
- Land in hill areas (previously restricted)
- Admission benefits
Tribal communities saw this as a threat to their rights and land.
How It Turned Into War
- May 3, 2023: Tribal solidarity march turns violent
- Clashes erupt between Meiteis and Kukis
- Mobs burn down homes, schools, churches, temples
- Women assaulted, children orphaned
Within weeks, entire districts turned into war zones.
Ground Reality (2025)
- Relief camps house 50,000+ people in poor conditions
- Schools remain shut in affected areas
- Internet shutdown continues in some districts
- Armed groups patrol villages unofficial checkpoints everywhere
- Trauma, hunger, PTSD go unaddressed
Government’s Role: Too Little, Too Late?
State Government: Largely seen as biased. Manipur CM Biren Singh (Meitei) criticized for silence and favoritism.
Centre:
- Took weeks to send peacekeeping forces
- PM Modi didn’t speak publicly for over 70 days
- Rehabilitation slow, inconsistent
- No truth commission or long term peace plan
Army: Limited by political constraints
Political Reactions
- Opposition: Accuses Centre of neglect
- Supreme Court: Called violence a “failure of constitutional machinery”
- Human Rights Groups: Slam India for ignoring internal humanitarian crisis
Where is the Peace?
- Sporadic talks held
- No permanent peace treaty
- Displacement camps now feel permanent
- Children missing school for two years straight
- Armed groups still active both sides accused of violence
Why the Silence?
- National media barely covers it
- No large scale protests outside NE India
- Celebrities and influencers? Quiet.
- Country moved on Manipur didn’t.
Impact on the Common Man
- Mental trauma and depression increasing
- Job losses and shattered economy in hill districts
- Over 1500 children orphaned or untraceable
- Students unable to sit for national exams due to lack of ID/documents
- Rise in child labor, early marriages in camps
Can This Be Solved?
Peace requires:
- Dialogue between communities
- Land and identity assurances
- Economic investment in hill districts
- Neutral administration
- Accountability for crimes on both sides
Parting Thoughts:
Manipur doesn’t just need peace.
It needs healing.
And healing can’t come from police or bulletproof jackets. It must come from:
- Truth
- Justice
- And a nation that refuses to look away.
Because if one part of India bleeds all of India should feel the pain.
