23-9-2024 (IMPHAL) Manipur, a state in northeastern India, has been placed on high alert following reports of a potential influx of approximately 900 armed individuals believed to be Kuki militants from neighbouring Myanmar. This development has reignited concerns about the fragile security situation in the region, which has been marred by ethnic conflicts.
Kuldiep Singh, the security advisor to the Manipur government, disclosed to journalists on Friday that local authorities have shared intelligence about these suspected militants with other security agencies. “The border police are on high alert, and search operations are currently underway,” Singh stated, underlining the gravity of the situation.
Local media outlets have reported that the alleged infiltrators are Kuki militants trained in guerrilla warfare and equipped with attack drones. However, these claims have been met with scepticism and denial from some quarters. A Kuki student organisation in Manipur has vehemently rejected Singh’s assertions, accusing him of propagating false information about the Kuki community. The group has called for Singh’s resignation, claiming he has failed to ensure their safety.
The reported influx has brought to the fore the long-standing ethnic tensions in Manipur, primarily between the Meitei community, which predominantly inhabits the valley regions, and the Kuki people, who control the hill areas. Since May of last year, clashes between these two groups have resulted in at least 237 fatalities and displaced over 60,000 individuals. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has repeatedly attributed the violence to refugees who entered India following the military coup in Myanmar.
The Kuki people residing in the southern hill districts of Manipur share cultural, religious, and kinship ties with the Chin community in Myanmar. Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, dozens of ethnic minority armed groups, including the Chin, have been engaged in ongoing conflicts with the Myanmar military.
