Manipur Crisis Turns: Naga-Kuki Clashes Add a New Layer of Violence

Key Highlights & Summary 

• The death toll in clashes between the Nagas and Kukis since the recast BJP government took over in Manipur in February has risen to over 50, following fresh killings in Kamjong and Senapati. This marks a shift away from the Meitei-Kuki conflict that has been centred in the valley and hills since May 2023. 

• The conflict is harder to contain geographically. In the Meitei-Kuki clashes, communities separated within months and a buffer zone was created. In the Naga-Kuki areas of Ukhrul, Kamjong, Senapati and Kangpokpi, populations are mixed, so violence spreads over roads and highways and disrupts supplies and movement. 

• Key flashpoints include the killing of three Kuki church leaders in Kangpokpi on May 13, followed by the abduction and killing of six Naga men from the Leilon Vaiphei area. On March 11, 21 Nagas were abducted near Mongkot Chephu and later released after negotiations. 

• Security officials link the conflict to a contest over the illicit drug trade and trafficking routes. Moreh, once the main transit point, has come under Kuki control since 2023, and routes via Kamjong have emerged as an alternative. The presence of armed groups based in Myanmar has widened the conflict. 

• Political efforts have stalled. A Church-led dialogue attempt in Aizawl in July did not become a political dialogue. The United Naga Council (UNC) demands abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with Kuki armed groups and action against those responsible, and it imposed an economic blockade of highways, suspended on September 26 after talks with the Home Ministry and the state government. The two Deputy CMs, Nemcha Kipgen (Kuki-Zo) and Losii Dikho (Naga), have emerged as opposing voices. 

• Security forces describe their task as \'managing\' violence rather than ending it. One positive shift is that Kuki residents are increasingly being allowed into Imphal for healthcare and other services, with 40-50 Kukis reportedly visiting daily without resistance. Assembly polls due early next year add an electoral dimension. 

Essential Definitions

• Ethnic conflict: Violence between groups defined by ethnicity, often linked to competition over land, identity and resources. 

• Buffer zone: A demarcated area between conflicting communities, guarded by security forces to prevent clashes. 

• Suspension of Operations (SoO): A tripartite ceasefire agreement among the Centre, the state government and militant groups, under which cadres stay in designated camps. 

• President\'s Rule: Central takeover of a state\'s administration under Article 356 when constitutional machinery fails. 

• Narco-terror nexus: Linkage between drug trafficking networks and armed insurgent groups. 

Legal and Constitutional Framework 

• Article 355: Duty of the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance. 

• Article 356: President\'s Rule on failure of constitutional machinery, with Parliamentary approval within two months and a maximum duration of three years. 

• Entry 1 and Entry 2, State List: Public order and police are state subjects, while the Union may deploy armed forces under Article 355. 

• Article 371C: Special provisions for Manipur, including a committee of legislators from the hill areas. 

• Sixth Schedule and Article 244: Autonomous District Councils for tribal areas, though Manipur\'s hill councils fall outside the Sixth Schedule. 

• Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958: Applies in disturbed areas to help maintain public order. • Article 3: Parliament\'s power to alter state boundaries, relevant to Naga demands for integration. 

• Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967: Used against unlawful associations and armed groups.

Conclusion Manipur crisis has expanded from a Meitei-Kuki divide to a multi-ethnic contest over land, routes and political voice. Force can only contain violence. Lasting peace needs inclusive dialogue with all communities, credible political accommodation, action against narco-networks, better border management and rebuilding trust through equitable governance. 

UPSC Relevance 

• Prelims: Article 355, Article 356, Article 371C, SoO agreement, Sixth Schedule, AFSPA, Moreh and the India-Myanmar border. 

• Mains GS-III: Internal security challenges in border areas, linkages of organised crime with terrorism, role of external state and non-state actors.

 • Mains GS-II: Federalism and Union-state relations, Article 356, governance issues, and role of civil society. 

• Mains GS-I: Ethnicity, tribal identity and regionalism. 

• Mains GS-IV: Ethics of peacekeeping, impartiality and conflict resolution. 

• Essay and Interview: Themes like \'Ethnic conflict and the limits of state power\' and \'Peacebuilding in the Northeast\'.