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After ethnic clashes, police and military ensure calm in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur.
Why is? In the Indian state of Manipur in the north-east of the country, violence has broken out between indigenous peoples in recent days. Over 50 people were killed and hundreds injured. At least 23,000 people have fled the violence in the area after hundreds of homes were burned.
How is the government reacting? Delhi has deployed several thousand police officers and soldiers to the region. Their mission: to restore peace and order – if necessary by force. “The situation has calmed down a bit since then,” says SRF Asia correspondent Maren Peters.
The Hindu nationalist government is driving a wedge into the population with its policies.
What are the backgrounds? Ethnic unrest has also occurred in the federal state of Manipur in the past. “But they have never been as violent as they are now,” says the correspondent. The current unrest was sparked by a ruling by the Indian state’s highest court, according to which the Meitei tribe should also receive the status of the “Scheduled Tribes”. The government program aims to compensate for the historical disadvantages of indigenous people in India. But now other indigenous groups in Manipur fear they may lose some of their own privileges as a result.
How did the riots come about? Following the court verdict last week, up to 50,000 members of the Kuki and Naga minorities gathered to protest against the verdict. The protests escalated and there was massive violence: houses were set on fire, dozens of people were injured or even killed. Thousands of them fled the area. Religious sites also went up in flames during the riots.
Why help for the Meitei? The Meitei have been pushing for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes program for around ten years. They argue that they already had that status before joining the Indian Union in 1949, now they want it back.
The role of government: The Meitei receive support in their efforts to achieve Scheduled Tribe status from the Hindu nationalist government – after all, the Meitei are also Hindus. “The government is driving a wedge into the population with its policies,” says correspondent Peters. Hindu mobs felt empowered to use violence against minorities. “This pattern can now also be seen in Manipur.”