Manipur division intensifies: Ten legislators seek separate administrative posts for hill districts amidst ethnic clashes

In a significant move highlighting the escalating rift between Manipur’s hills and valley regions, ten Kuki-Zomi community legislators, with seven from the ruling BJP, submitted a plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their demand? Separate Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Secretary (CS) positions for Manipur’s five hill districts, including Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Chandel, Tennoupal, and Pherzawl, following a surge of violent attacks across the state.

Their three-page memorandum reveals an alarming trend of “human rights violations, killings of the innocent, arson, and destruction of properties” targeted at the Kuki-Zo populace. This new demand for distinct administrative roles stems from the increasingly hostile environment in the state capital, Imphal. Dominated by the Meitei community, the legislators describe Imphal as a “valley of death and destruction for the Kuki-Zo people”.

Supporting their claims, the legislators highlighted the challenges faced even by Kuki-Zo officers within the Manipur civil and police services, stating that these professionals can’t perform their roles due to the prevailing conditions in Imphal Valley. Emphasizing the need for improved governance, their letter sought the immediate establishment of chief secretary and DGP posts or their equivalents for a more effective administration of Kuki-Zo-inhabited districts.

Furthering their plea, the representatives sought the creation of other high-ranking roles in the civil and police sectors for the broader public interest. The letter also made a case for an urgent Rs 500 crore allocation from the PM’s Relief Fund for rehabilitating the Kuki-Zo community members uprooted by the ongoing ethnic conflicts.

Drawing attention to the life-threatening situations their community members face, the legislators recalled disturbing incidents. On May 4, BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte faced a severe assault by a mob in Imphal. June 14 saw a similar horrifying event, with a crowd torching the residence of Nemcha Kipgen, the state cabinet’s sole female minister, in Imphal West district.

Background to this rising tension traces back to May 3, marking the onset of violent ethnic confrontations between Meiteis and Kukis. The ensuing turmoil has tragically resulted in over 160 fatalities in a span of three months.