On May 3, 2023, a violent conflict erupted between two communities in Manipur, spreading beyond the valleys. Homes, police stations, and cities were ablaze; looting and gunfire were rampant. Gradually, the ground situation in Manipur came under control, with most valley areas stabilizing. Yet, divisions deepened, with visible scars of violence still etched across the rural districts.
Violence erupted in May 2023
The epicenter of the 2023 violence was Churachandpur, predominantly inhabited by the Kuki ethnic group. This mountainous district and its neighboring valley regions bore the brunt, such as Bishnupur, Thoubal, and Kangpokpi, resembling war zones. One year later, Hindu Meiteis cannot enter these highland Kuki regions, nor do Kukis venture into the valleys for fear of their lives.
Farmers are returning to their fields in Churachandpur
The district of Vishnupur bridges the valley to Churachandpur, where farmers have returned to agriculture. However, a considerable buffer zone has been established by central forces to separate the communities. Assam Rifles, BSF, and CRPF remain active in this buffer zone. Last August, this area witnessed significant violence and resistance against the Assam Rifles. Burnt homes bear testament to the devastating fires that swept through.
Security barricades line the roads
Passing the buffer zone into Churachandpur, signs of violence multiply, particularly in Kuki-majority areas where locals man the security barricades. Entry into Churachandpur requires their clearance. For over a year, youth like Helix have manned these checkpoints, preventing Meiteis from passing through.
Source: aajtak
From leaves boiled to rice cooked
Prior to entering town, makeshift relief camps appear, not government-run but shelters improvised in unfinished buildings. Around 137 Kukis from the Thoubal district reside here, having fled the violence. Local NGOs and church groups provide meals – with vegetables boiling, rice steaming.
Life dwarfs in makeshift tarpaulin rooms of the relief camps
Kuki children have begun attending nearby schools, life trudging on for a year in these makeshift shelters. Thomas, a community leader, explains, "Our homes were torched; we had to flee. For over a year now, we've been in these relief camps, reliant on support from the Baptist Church, as the government's assurances remain unmet."
Source: aajtak
Villages turned ghost towns
The desperate state of these non-governmental camps is heartbreaking. Upon entry to Churachandpur city, collapsed homes and stores are a common sight. Villages now silent, their inhabitants have fled, leaving them eerily deserted.
Bunkers still present
At the village peripheries lay bunkers created by local defense forces during the conflicts—some demolished, some abandoned. The Assam Rifles and other central security forces have conducted extensive operations, confiscating large caches of weapons, with pivotal roles in the disarmament.
Manipur's conditions have yet to change
The Thoubal region maintains its defensive positions, with youth equipped and on guard round-the-clock. Bunker commander Muithang says, "We didn't start the fight; we took up arms in self-defense". These bunkers symbolize a still-present tension, and the altered course of many young lives.
Children trade pens for guns
While gunfire has ceased for a time, the youth continue to stand vigilant, armed and ready. Their futures have taken a new, grim path; the pencil has been swapped for the rifle.
Peace in Churachandpur city contrasts the area's violent history. The iconic Santnery Gate stands firm, a grim reminder of justice hanged in effigy. A memorial for the over 150 Kuki victims of violence persists, with coffins laid out since last July to honor their memories.
Churachandpur city's pace has slowed
Churachandpur remains cut off, relying on roads connecting to the valley—essential supplies now sourced through neighboring Mizoram and Nagaland. As violence subsides in some areas, the tension lingers, and the local populace is now more divided than ever. Promised peace hangs by a thread.
