Families Deserve Apology from the State Government

Newsreel Asia Insight #79
Dec. 21, 2023

Eighty-seven Kuki-Zo victims of the ongoing ethnic violence were finally buried on Dec. 20 in Manipur’s Churachandpur district. This solemn ceremony, attended by thousands, included the burial of a one-month-old infant, marking over seven months since the conflict began on May 3.

Isaac, born on April 10, 2023, in Senvon village near Mizoram’s border, tragically became the youngest casualty of this conflict. His parents, Mr. Ruolneithang and Mrs. Remruotzo, endured a harrowing ordeal seeking medical help for him. Initially treated in Churachandpur for a colon obstruction, he was later referred to RIMS hospital in Imphal for surgery. However, the sudden outbreak of violence on May 3 disrupted his treatment.

Amid deteriorating conditions and lacking proper medical care, Isaac and his family were evacuated on May 5 to the 2nd Manipur Rifles Camp. The following day, he was moved to Mother Care Hospital, where his parents last saw him. On May 8, his parents were evacuated to Churachandpur. They received a call on May 10 from the hospital, assuring them Isaac was fine. Tragically, they were informed of his death the next day.

The other 86 victims, including the oldest, 87-year-old Veinem Chongloi, suffered brutal deaths - hacked, burned alive, or shot.

Among them was Jamkhogin Baite, a former Indian Army member, shot dead near Zou Veng by a Meitei man. His sister shared his story at the burial ceremony. Stephen Pulamte, son of victim Minthanglien Pulamte, shared his father’s tragic end at the hands of Meiteis in Imphal on May 3. He expressed his deep longing to finally perform his father’s last rites, delayed for months.

At the burial site, volunteers from various organisations respectfully prepared graves using hand tools. The ceremony, incorporating crosses and gun salutes, as per the tribal tradition, honoured the victims’ diverse religious beliefs, including Christian, Messianic and Jewish rituals.

Ginza Vualzong, Spokesperson for the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), stated that the “sacrifices” of “our martyrs” are a testament to their boundless love and unwavering devotion to “our land,” and will forever be remembered in history.

The ethnic conflict, involving the majority Meitei community of Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo tribes of the surrounding hills, primarily Churachandpur, has lasted over seven months. It stems from a long-standing dispute over land rights and identity. The situation escalated on May 3 during a protest by the Kuki-Zo community against a controversial court order asking the government to consider extending special economic benefits and quotas for tribal communities to the Meiteis, including land purchase rights in resource-rich Kuki-Zo territories.

For the Kuki-Zo people, their land is an integral part of their identity. Their customs, traditions and social structures are deeply intertwined with the land they inhabit. It’s a living entity, holding stories, traditions and the history of their ancestors. It’s a source of collective pride and a symbol of their distinct cultural identity. Historically, the Kuki-Zos have defended their land against various external forces. This history of resistance and the struggle to maintain autonomy over their land has strengthened their attachment to it.

However, nearly every successive state government has attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to access tribal territories apparently for the extraction of natural resources, including oil. However, the current administration seemingly endeavoured to achieve this by instigating conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo community, leading to catastrophic consequences.

The violence has resulted in at least 158 Kuki-Zo deaths, the burning of over 7,000 houses and 360 religious buildings, and the displacement of more than 41,400 people. Some Kuki-Zo women were gang-raped. women Following the initial violence, Meiteis from Churachandpur fled to Imphal Valley, and Kuki-Zo people from Imphal Valley sought refuge in Churachandpur or Kangpokpi, another Kuki-Zo area. 

The Kuki-Zo families, with no resources, faced the grim challenge of transporting their loved ones’ remains to Churachandpur or Kangpokpi. In this hour of need, no support was extended by the state government to ease their burden, leaving the families to cope with their loss unaided. Finally, the Supreme Court directed the state government to ensure dignified burials for the victims, following a report from the Justice Gita Mittal committee, formed on Aug. 7 to oversee victim rehabilitation. The committee reported that 175 bodies awaited burial, with 81 claimed by relatives, 88 unclaimed, and six unidentified.

On Dec. 14, Indian Air Force helicopters had transported 41 bodies to Churachandpur from Imphal and 19 to Kangpokpi. Prior to this, 41 bodies had been buried, and 11 remain missing.

The state government was legally obligated to promptly intervene and safeguard lives – of both Kuki-Zos and Meiteis – when the violence started. Under the Constitution, particularly Articles 21 and 14, it is the duty of the state to protect the right to life and ensure equality before the law. Contrary to their role as protectors, the state police faced accusations of either permitting the violence against the tribal communities or, more alarmingly, participating in the attacks. Such allegations, if true, represent a severe breach of duty and trust, undermining the very essence of their responsibility to safeguard citizens.

The government was also required to conduct an immediate and impartial investigation into the incidents, ensuring that those responsible for the violence were held accountable.

However, these obligations are yet to be fulfilled by the state government.

The least the state government could have done on Dec. 20 was to offer an apology, coupled with expressions of sympathy to the bereaved families. Such a gesture, while not a remedy for the loss, would have been a customary acknowledgment of the suffering endured. However, the government opted for silence, foregoing this basic act of empathy and responsibility.