THE imposition of “President’s Rule” on the Indian state of Manipur, where there is continuing tribal conflict (News, Comment 24 May 2024), has done little to reassure Christians, a C of E deacon born there said this week.
The deacon, the Revd Kaileankhup Khongsai, who is serving his title at Christ Church, Roxeth, Harrow, in north-west London, described on Tuesday how his nephew had taken his own life, such was the level of despair among Kuki Christians.
His in-laws, currently living with him and his wife, felt unable to return to Manipur, while his parents, who need medical support, were trapped in their home in the hills. “Even church leaders are struggling to offer spiritual and moral support,” he said. “The whole situation is really stark, and it’s hard to see any positive light at the moment.”
Clashes between different ethnic groups in the state, home to 3.2 million people, date back decades. More than half (53 per cent) of the population are Meitei, a largely Hindu group living in the Imphal Valley region. The two main tribal groups are the Naga and Kuki, who are mostly Christian, live in the hills, and have “Scheduled Tribe” status under an affirmative-action programme that grants eligible groups access to forest lands, a guaranteed proportion of government jobs, and places in educational institutions.
The most recent violence erupted in May 2023, after demands by the Meitei people for access to the “Scheduled Tribe” status (News, 11 May 2023). Since then, at least 250 people have been killed, and some 60,000 have been displaced. Hundreds of churches were burned down.
On 13 February, the Indian federal government took over direct control of the state, after the chief minister, N. Biren Singh, a Meitei and a member of the Prime Minister’s BJP party, resigned in the wake of ongoing clashes, an expected no-confidence vote, and pressure from his own party. Kuki people have long accused him of bias. Audio tapes have been leaked purportedly providing evidence that he was complicit in violence against the Kukis — a claim he denies.
Mr Khongsai said this week that internally displaced people were “really, really struggling to see hope, and many become depressed”. The suicide rate was high. Mr Singh’s resignation did not provide much comfort, given the central government’s involvement in the Manipur crisis, he said. Amnesty International said last month that, at both state and central level, the government had “utterly failed to end the violence in Manipur, impunity of vigilante groups, and the divisive rhetoric that has flamed the ethnic violence. Their actions have led to repression of dissenting voices and an abject humanitarian crisis in the state.”
Since the imposition of President’s Rule, the Government set a deadline of 6 March for non-state groups to give up looted weapons. The newspaper The Hindu reported this week that only about one third of the more than 3000 weapons had been returned. It also reported that attempts to ensure free movement between the hill and valley districts by removing blockades had been resisted, and dozens had been injured. One Kuki protester had been killed.
The English-language daily newspaper the Indian Express reported on Tuesday that Kukis had “reiterated that they will not allow the highways to be opened until their demand for an autonomous territory (separate administration) is met”. Mr Khongsai said that there had been a failure to consult properly with Kuki leaders.
The Indian government has said that the entry of Kuki militants crossing the border with Myanmar is a cause of the violence. Last year, the UN Human Rights Committee voiced concern about the application of counter-terrorism legislation taht had led to “widespread and grave human rights violations”. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called last week for “stepped-up efforts” to address violence and displacement in Manipur, “based on dialogue, peacebuilding, and human rights”. The Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, Arindam Bagchi, spoke of “misplaced concerns”.
Five days of prayer and fasting will be held at Christ Church, Roxeth, from April 28 to May 3, and a gathering will feature testimonies from survivors.
Mr Khongsai’s parents loved Manipur and wanted to remain, he said this week. “When there is gunfire, they hide in the jungle. They run and come back, run and come back. They are living a very hard life.”
