‘Manipur Tapes’ Suggest Banned Armed Groups and Police ‘Commandos’ Played a Role in Violence

The Voice, Alleged to Be That of CM Biren Singh, Claims to Have United Them

Newsreel Asia Insight #325
October 2, 2024

Screenshot from X

The “Manipur Tapes,” currently under review by an official enquiry commission and allegedly featuring Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s voice, suggest that Mr. Singh may have facilitated cooperation between state security forces and outlawed Meitei groups like the People’s Liberation Army Manipur (PLA) to target the Kuki-Zo minority amid the ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023, according to The Wire.

The voice in the recording, alleged to be that of Mr. Singh, who is a Meitei, is heard saying, “[Police] commandos … those underground people at frontline … made all of them join together. I am telling you … revealing the truth, the PLA …, Pambei’s people (a faction of the insurgent group United National Liberation Front, or UNLF), PREPAK (another insurgent group) and every other … with commandos, I let them all join together,” as reported by The Wire.

The Insurgency Groups

PREPAK, or People’s Revolutionary Party of “Kangleipak,” was founded in 1977 to advocate for the independence of Manipur from Indian governance. “Kangleipak” is the historical name for the region before Manipur became part of India in 1949.

The Pambei faction of the UNLF is a splinter group within one of Manipur’s oldest insurgent organisations. This faction is reportedly led by Khundongbam Pambei.

The PLA was formed in 1978 with the objective of establishing an independent socialist state of Manipur.

Both PLA and PREPAK are banned under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act due to its involvement in armed resistance against Indian government forces.

In November 2023, the Pambei faction of the UNLF signed a peace agreement with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. However, the group has been accused by officials of perpetrating violence also after the signing of the ceasefire.

“Commandos” in Manipur, recruited from the Manipur Rifles, local police and the Indian Reserve Battalion, are specialised units trained to handle high-risk operations, including anti-terrorism efforts, hostage situations and violent clashes related to ethnic or communal conflicts. These commandos, not officially part of the state’s law enforcement structure, are selected by the Chief Minister’s office unofficially, according to a previous report by The Print.

During the initial phases of the violence, sections of the commandos were accused of joining Meitei mobs that burned homes and attacked Kuki-Zo villages with weapons.

The PLA

The PLA is notable among these groups because, despite the fact that organisations banned under the UAPA are prohibited from engaging in any public or private activities, promoting their agenda, recruiting members or communicating as an organisation, it maintains a presence on social media and actively communicates with people both within Manipur and beyond.

On X, PLA describes itself this way: “With a full determination of independent Manipur our leaders went to Lasha in Tibet in 1975 and come up with a new ideology to make a total change in Manipur.” They also call for local support by urging people to “Join PLA || 💪 Please Like Share and follow,” featuring videos of armed and unformed individuals from the group.

On Sept. 25, the group posted a message by their Acting President M.M. Ngouba: “There is another history of deception and insincerity that parallels the history of the heinous crimes committed by the Bharat government and its occupying forces …”

PLA also engages in acts of symbolic defiance online such as observing the “78th Manipur Independence Day Celebrations” and calling for boycotts of Indian Independence Day.

The Recording

The 48-minute recording, first published by The Wire, was allegedly made during a closed-door meeting at the official residence of the Manipur Chief Minister.

Given the nature of the groups allegedly involved with state police in the violence, the recording’s implication that the sitting chief minister facilitated such collaboration is of grave seriousness.

The government of Manipur had dismissed the audio as “doctored,” asserting that the claims of it being Singh’s voice were false, after the Kuki Students’ Organisation released excerpts of the recording in a press release a few months ago.

The Manipur Tapes were submitted in August to the Justice Ajai Lamba Commission of Inquiry, established by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the ethnic violence over land rights and identity.

The conflict has resulted in more than 200 deaths, the destruction of thousands of houses and hundreds of churches and synagogues, and the displacement of over 60,000 people. The violence continues 17 months later.

The commission is expected to verify the authenticity of the recordings through forensic examination. The individuals who provided the recording have sworn in an affidavit that the voice heard is indeed that of Singh.