The Humanitarian Discourse Needs to Shift from ‘Relief Camps’ to ‘Resettlement’

Newsreel Asia Insight #227
May 20, 2024

Conflict-induced displacement surged across South Asia, a region encompassing eight countries, in 2023, uprooting a staggering 69,000 people in 2023. Of these, the violence in India’s northeastern state of Manipur alone forced 67,000 individuals to flee their homes, according to a report by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). This marks the highest number of displacements in India due to conflict since 2018.

On May 3, 2023, protests by Kuki-Zo tribal people in Manipur’s Churachandpur district turned violent, quickly spreading to other areas such as Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi, leading to an estimated 67,000 displacements, PTI said, citing the IDMC report. Hundreds have been killed, and the violence continues to this day. While at least 185 Kuki-Zo people have died in the conflict, the rival Meitei majority has not disclosed the number of Meitei deaths.

While most displaced persons sought refuge within Manipur, a significant number moved to neighbouring states like Mizoram, with smaller groups heading to Nagaland and Assam.

The displaced individuals face severe challenges as they adjust to their new circumstances. Many have been forced to leave behind not only their homes but also their livelihoods. More than 100 displaced people, including children, have died in the Kuki-Zo majority district of Churachandpur alone due to a shortage of medicines and specialist doctors, and poor living conditions.

The displacement crisis is compounded by its permanent nature; ongoing violence and deep-seated ethnic tensions make returning impossible. The prospects for these internally displaced persons (IDPs) to rebuild their lives appear bleak due to the limited resources and support currently available.

Due to apparent apathy from mainstream media in India, the broader context of the violence and conflict is largely absent from the public domain. Consequently, the humanitarian discourse remains focused on temporary shelters and relief camps rather than on “resettlement,” even one year after the onset of the unrest.

The unrest was initially sparked by a directive from the Manipur High Court, which asked the state government to decide on granting tribal status to the majority community, the valley-dwelling Meiteis. This decision would have allowed Meiteis to purchase land in territories traditionally inhabited by the hill-residing Kuki-Zo tribes, provoking widespread protests among the tribal communities. These protests swiftly escalated into violent clashes, worsened by disinformation and extremist rhetoric.

Economic factors fuelled the ethnic conflict. Government and corporate entities have long made unsuccessful attempts to exploit the Kuki-Zo regions, which are rich in natural resources, including substantial oil deposits. This economic interest heightened tensions, as the Kuki-Zos perceive the government’s actions – such as revising forest land legislation leading to displacement of several tribal families from their ancestral lands – as a form of economic exploitation.

The predominantly Meitei community, making up about 53% of Manipur’s population, resides in the Imphal Valley, while the hill districts are inhabited by the tribal communities of Kuki-Zo and Naga people. The Kuki-Zos constitute 15-25% of the state’s population.

Before May 3, 2023, many Kuki-Zo people lived in Imphal, and many Meiteis lived in the Kuki-Zo majority district of Churachandpur and other Kuki-Zo areas. However, in the immediate aftermath of the violence, all Kuki-Zo families living in Imphal region fled to Churachandpur or other hill districts, while all Meiteis in Churachandpur relocated to Imphal. This mass exodus resulted in complete ethnic segregation. The tense situation has made it impossible for members of either community to enter each other’s territories. All properties belonging to the Kuki-Zo people in Imphal and all homes of the Meiteis in Churachandpur have been entirely destroyed.

Furthermore, Churachandpur is now completely cut off from the Imphal region, about 60 kilometres away, where all essential facilities and markets are located. All goods now have to be transported hundreds of kilometres from the neighbouring states of Assam and Nagaland through Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, resulting in significantly higher costs.

What’s more, Manipur has experienced insurgency since its merger with India in 1949, two years after India gained independence from British rule. This integration met with resistance, leading to the emergence of Meitei insurgent groups seeking independence or greater autonomy. Conversely, the Kuki-Zos have aspired for a separate state or administrative unit within India to protect their tribal identity and rights. Further, British colonial policies disrupted traditional land ownership and social hierarchies, and post-independence ethnic dynamics became more complex.

The Meitei insurgency peaked in the 1980s and 1990s, prompting the Indian government to deploy strict security measures, including the army and paramilitary forces, and to enforce the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which grants special powers to security forces in “disturbed areas.” Many Meitei insurgents fled to Myanmar, gradually losing local support. The Kuki-Zo and Naga insurgent groups eventually signed ceasefire agreements with the Indian government, paving the way for political dialogue.

However, the violence that followed the May 3, 2023 events has reignited old conflicts, with banned Meitei insurgent groups returning from Myanmar and gaining support from the local Meitei population.