On 31st May, the Joint Unau Tribal Students’ Organisation Delhi (a collective of the various student bodies belonging to the Kuki-Zo community) held a tribal solidarity protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. More than a thousand people attended the protest. Testimonies were shared from distressed survivors. Calls for justice, protection of tribal rights and criticisms of the majority-led state government were made. The protesters’ ultimate goal was clear. They want an immediate solution through the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur (Article 356) and a permanent solution in the form of a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo community as allowed and prescribed by the Indian Constitution.
Since 3rd May, Manipur has been in a state of turmoil, with the ethnic conflict between two communities – the majority Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo tribals. Although disagreements and clashes between communities are quite common in the state, this is the most intense communal conflict that has occurred. The Kuki-Zo tribals in the Imphal valley have fled to the hill districts and the neighbouring states while the Meiteis in the hill districts have escaped to the valley. As such, there is already an informal separation of the people.
Educational institutions were not spared in the violence. Kuki-Zo students from Manipur University (MU), Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) faced traumatizing experiences of being hunted down inside their hostels and university campus by an aggressive Meitei mob.
Survivors’ testimonies.
A female research scholar from MU narrated her narrow escape from the mob who entered her hostel which is located within the university campus. She expressed her disappointment with her hostel-mates who did nothing to help her and the university that failed to provide timely security. Another PhD Scholar from MU talked about how the mob could freely enter hostels within the university premises, checked the rooms of Kuki-Zo students and destroyed everything including important documents and student laptops containing years of research materials. Both survivors believe that normalcy is a far cry away and it is not possible for Kuki-Zo students to go back to the university campus.
A victim whose house was burnt down by the Meitei mob described her shock when she saw that the attacking mob consisted of not only men but also women, who cheerfully clapped as they watched the houses go down in flames.
A speaker at the protest called the ongoing violence a “state-sponsored terrorism” against the Kuki-Zo communities. There is large-scale destruction of both physical and intellectual properties. This amplifies the need for a separately administered territory of the Kuki-Zo people where they can enjoy their right to life, liberty and have a university of their own.
Another speaker made a fervent appeal to the Government of India and the media houses to maintain a rational outlook on the issue, understand the plight of the Kuki-Zo people and counter the false narratives widely spread by the state-controlled media in Manipur. This is significant as a journalist from India Today NE recently talked about receiving ‘threat calls’ following her report on a gunfight between the 37 Assam Rifles and the Arambai Tenggol militants.
The protesters were united in their criticisms of the state police forces for their involvement in the ‘ethnic cleansing’. They showed deep gratitude to the Indian Army for standing up for the truth and the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force for providing food, shelter and protection for the displaced victims.
The protest witnessed an enormous turnout which signifies the heart-wrenching pain the Kuki-Zo people felt for the sufferings of their brethren back home.
