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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Two Young People. Two Camps. One Dividing Line. A Story of Conflict in India's Northeast
By Angana Chakrabarti Lamjahat Haokip and Kshetrimayum Dinesh live nearly identical lives. The young adults each come from a community that opposes the other, both were forced from their homes by the violence, and both now live in relief camps that are just 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) apart. Kshetrimayum Dinesh and his father run a food stall outside the Khoyol Keithel relief camp in Moirang. (Angana Chakrabarti/GPJ India) Dinesh is from the dominant Meitei community, and Haokip is of the Kuki-Zo group. In May 2023, violence erupted along the border between their communities in India's northeastern Manipur state. The clash followed a protest earlier that day led by several tribal groups who opposed efforts by the Meitei community to attain Scheduled Tribe status, which could help Meiteis benefit from quotas for government jobs and college admissions. Opponents say the move would lead to the larger community getting more preferential treatment. 'I was involved in the stone-throwing,' Dinesh admits. He and his family left their home overnight, for fear that the people from the Kuki-Zo group would attack. They've been living in a relief camp since then. Lamjahat Haokip collects laundry at the Sadbhavna Mandap camp in Churachandpur.(Angana Chakrabarti/GPJ India ) Haokip, meanwhile, feared that day that a mob of Meiteis looking for Kuki-Zos would attack the hostel where she lived while attending school. The mob did come, and Haokip managed to escape to a friend's house. Then, she too landed in a relief camp, this one for Kuki-Zos. The feud is the longest-running of its kind in 21st century India; it has left 260 people dead, nearly 60,000 people displaced and thousands of people injured. Police monitor a checkpoint at Gwaltabi village, on the route from Imphal to Ukhrul, ahead of the Shirui Lily Festival. Tensions were high at the time as travelers from the Meitei-dominated valley passed through areas controlled by the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities.(Angana Chakrabarti/GPJ India) Over the course of two months in 2023, entire villages, including Dinesh's and Haokip's, were razed. Weapons were looted from police stations. Meiteis living in the hills fled to the valley, and Kuki-Zos living in the valley were forced to the hills. The conflict shifted to intermittent gunfire in the foothill areas, prompting civilians to tote firearms. On the stretch of road that separates Haokip's and Dinesh's camps are at least four checkpoints manned by five different security forces who have been standing guard day and night. The short distance is nearly impossible for either to cross, yet their days mirror each other. Dinesh and Haokip both wake at the crack of dawn; Haokip to prepare for recruitment exams for public sector banks, and Dinesh to train for the Indian army. After classes, Haokip helps younger children with their homework for 4,000 Indian rupees (about US$46) per month. A few months after the conflict began, Dinesh started a food stall outside the relief camp, where he earns an essential 700 rupees (about US$8) a day for his family. Kshetrimayum Dinesh trains around a nearby army unit from the Khoyol Keithel relief camp in Moirang. Displaced by the May 2023 conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, Dinesh is now trained by a unit of the Indian army in the hope it will help him qualify for the Agnipath Scheme for short-term contractual military service.(Angana Chakrabarti/GPJ India) Lamjahat Haokip tutors children near the Sadbhavna Mandap relief camp in Churachandpur, while keeping up with her college botany studies.(Angana Chakrabarti/GPJ India) The government 'completely abdicated its responsibility to protect the civilian population,' says human rights activist Babloo Loitongbam. The violence has wound down in the past year with the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh. Singh, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, was accused of playing a partisan role in the conflict. The state has had no popularly-elected government since February. Efforts to resolve the crisis are made in 'bits and pieces,' says GK Pillai, India's former home secretary. Peace will take time, he says. There's been no major violence in recent months, but protests in May and again in June underscored how fragile the peace remains. For Haokip and Dinesh, the true challenge lies ahead: rebuilding their lives and returning home, across a line that remains, for now, uncrossable. This story was originally published by Global Press.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
KNO commander, three others killed in Manipur ambush as civil society push for peace
Imphal: Four persons, including a deputy commander of a banned Kuki militant group, and a woman caught in a crossfire between two warring groups, were killed on Monday in Churachandpur district of Manipur, as violence returned to the northeastern state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The killings came on a day, three civil society groups from Manipur urged the Centre to take immediate steps to rehabilitate people hit by the ethnic violence and ensure security for farmers who have land in the vicinity of the Imphal valley. Thangboi Haokip, also known as "Thahpi", a deputy commander-in-chief of the Kuki National Organisation/Kuki National Army (KNO/KNA), was killed in a daylight ambush. The attack occurred in the Songpi area of Churachandpur district, sending shockwaves through the region. According to police, unidentified gunmen launched a close-range assault on a car carrying Haokip and his two bodyguards at around 2 pm. The ambush unfolded as the KNO/KNA leader was enroute to attend a funeral. Tragically, a woman passing by on her way to the fields from her home was struck by a stray bullet during the attack. She later succumbed to her injuries at the Churachandpur district hospital, adding to the day's grim toll. The two bodyguards accompanying Haokip, identified as Gaogao Singson and Saijin Haokip, were also killed instantly in the attack. The loss of these lives underscores the severity of the incident. Thangboi Haokip, a key figure in the KNA, a group under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the govt of India, was a significant player in the region's delicate peace process. "His death is expected to have far-reaching implications, potentially destabilizing the fragile peace maintained under the SoO framework," one official said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The United Kuki National Army (UKNA) claimed responsibility for the attack, citing it as retaliation for the killing of their town commander and PRO in October last year. In a statement released in the Kuki dialect, the UKNA accused Haokip of being a govt informant and alleged his involvement in the deaths of over 30 people. This incident has heightened tensions between the rival groups, fuelling suspicion and deepening hostilities among the local population. In a swift response, security forces were deployed to the area to assess the situation and prevent any further escalation of violence. As the region grapples with the aftermath of this high-profile killing, the potential for further conflict looms large. Authorities are on high alert, and the situation remains tense as investigations continue. Beginning May 3, 2023, more than 250 civilians have died in ethnic clashes and valuable properties destroyed, though various steps have been taken up to curb the violence. Manipur is currently under President's rule and the past BJP govt members are trying to push for the reinstatement of elected govt rule in the state. During the day, a 19-member delegation comprising members of the three groups -- Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) met representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi. While the Kuki-Zo have been asking for a separate homeland, the Meitei groups say the territorial integrity of the state is non-negotiable in the peace initiative.
The Print
22-06-2025
- The Print
Kuki woman killed in ‘crossfire' in Manipur chose to stay back even at peak of conflict, says niece
A farmer and wife of the village chief Khaikhogin Haokip, she was found dead in a forested area approximately 500 metres from the village, and about 50 metres from the road, a senior district police officer told ThePrint. On Thursday, Haokip was shot in 'crossfire' between security forces and 'unknown armed miscreants'. The incident took place in Langchingmanbi village, near the buffer zone dividing areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo community from areas dominated by Meiteis. New Delhi: Having witnessed extreme violence through 2023 and 2024, Hoikholhing Haokip finally felt safe in her village in Churachandpur, after President's Rule was imposed in strife-torn Manipur in February this year. 'Even when the conflict was at its peak in 2023, and most villagers had fled since the village was on the frontline, she was adamant about staying,' recalled her niece Gracie, as she mourned her death. 'My uncle always told us—our forefathers gave us this land, and even if we die, we will die in our own house.' The incident has fuelled a fresh wave of tensions in the region. According to police, Haokip was killed in crossfire amid a search operation after a Meitei man in a village in Bishnupur district was injured earlier that day, when some 'unidentified assailants' opened fire. Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a cultivator from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in the left arm around 3 pm while working in his paddy field, Manipur Police posted on X. He was taken to the district hospital, and later referred to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, about 30 km away. His condition is reported to be stable. 'In response, the security forces launched a search operation in and around Langchingmanbi, Heichanglok, and the western areas of Phubala village. During the course of the operation, security forces came under fire from unknown armed miscreants and the forces retaliated accordingly,' Manipur Police wrote on X. 'During the crossfire, a woman from Langchingmanbi village was found dead with a bullet injury.' Incident Report: Shooting at Phubala and Subsequent Exchange of Fire Today, at approximately 3:00 PM, one Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a cultivator from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, was shot in his left arm by an unknown armed miscreant while working in his paddy field at Phubala… — Manipur Police (@manipur_police) June 19, 2025 Local police arranged to transport the body to Churachandpur District Hospital for necessary legal formalities. According to a document shared by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) battalion admitted to its role in the act that led to the death of Haokip. Following this admission, the JKLI agreed to resolve the matter under customary law and offered Rs 11 lakh as compensation to her family. Gracie, her niece, confirmed that the arrangement has been made. After Haokip's death, ITLF—comprising tribal organisations like Kuki Inpi, Paite Tribe Council, Simte Tribe Council, Vaiphei People's Council, Mizo People's Convention, and others—submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla Friday, urging immediate action over the killing. It said that the incident was a direct result of the violation of the buffer zone demarcated between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. It stressed the urgent need to uphold the sanctity of these zones until a mutually agreed-upon Memorandum of Understanding or a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement is in place. 'We urge the government to take firm and proactive measures to prevent future breaches and to ensure that such loss of innocent lives does not recur,' the memorandum read. According to the senior district police officer quoted above, the incident did not occur inside the designated buffer zone, but around four-five km away. The area is close to both Langchingmanbi, a Kuki-dominated village, and Phubala, which has a Meitei majority. 'Even then, the distance between the buffer zone and the place where the incident took place is more than a kilometre,' the officer clarified. The officer added that there had been a longstanding dispute over farming in the area. The assailants were believed to have come from deeper in the hills. 'They are not locals and do not appear to be connected to the communities farming in the immediate vicinity.' A video clip of a man, who was with the Meitei man shot in the paddy field, being heavily circulated, shows him describing the incident. 'They came down, crossed the high canal, and opened fire. The firing happened so close we could see their faces,' he can be heard saying. 'I had to roll over and lie flat. If I had been standing, I wouldn't be alive.' The Kuki civil society organisations then called for the indefinite shutdown in hill areas in protest. 'Mrs Hoikholhing fell victim to the ongoing campaign of state-sponsored ethnic cleansing directed against the Kuki minority. Her assassination is a chilling reminder of the deliberate and relentless violence that has engulfed our people, abetted by the inaction and at times, complicity of the state apparatus,' read the joint press release by the organisations. The shutdown ended Saturday. The 'shutdown' which was imposed earlier in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts passed off without any untoward incidents and normalcy has been restored in the districts. — Manipur Police (@manipur_police) June 21, 2025 Five days ago, there was a similar flare-up in the Pukhao Leitanpokpi area of Manipur's Imphal East district, following a clash between members of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities over an alleged farmland dispute. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: 'Manipur shows double-engine sarkar has failed. Kuki-Meitei don't trust govt' says GK Pillai
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Life hit in Manipur district as tribal outfit enforces shutdown over woman's death in crossfire
Representative Image IMPHAL: An indefinite shutdown was observed Friday in Manipur's Churachandpur and a 24-hour closure in Kangpokpi over the death of a tribal woman in crossfire the previous day between security forces and unidentified gunmen. Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) called the shutdowns, supported by civil society organisations in both districts. Deceased Hoikholhing Haokip was the wife of a village chief in Churachandpur, Manipur's tribal heartland. Forces launched an operation after a farmer, Ningthoujam Biren Singh, suffered a bullet injury in his arm in alleged shooting by unidentified gunmen while working in his paddy field on Thursday. The gunmen later opened fire on the forces, prompting a retaliation and the crossfire. Haokip was later found dead with a bullet wound. A hunt is on for the gunmen. CoTU described the attacks and death as "another targeted assault in a systematic campaign" and held state govt responsible for allowing such atrocities to unfold under its watch. Manipur has been under President's rule since this Feb. CoTU alleged that Meitei aggressors were being allowed to act unchecked and that failure to protect vulnerable populations had once again led to loss of life. CoTU also demanded immediate action against those responsible for the killing. Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights also condemned the killing of Haokip, calling it a horrific act of violence.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CoTU enforces indefinite shutdown in Churachandpur
1 2 Imphal: An indefinite shutdown has begun in Churachandpur district while the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has called for a 24-hour shutdown in Kangpokpi district from 1pm on Friday, following the killing of Hoikholhing Haokip, wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi. The shutdown has affected normal lives in both the districts. The decision to impose the shutdown was endorsed by CoTU, supported by civil society organisations (CSOs) of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts. According to a media note issued by police, an operation was launched after Ningthoujam Biren Singh, a farmer from Phubala Awang Maning Leikai, suffered a bullet injury in his left arm allegedly fired upon by unidentified armed miscreants while working in his paddy field on Thursday. During the operation, armed miscreants opened fire on the security forces who retaliated. Amid the crossfire, Kuki woman Haokip was found dead with a bullet injury. Security personnel identified her as the wife of the village chief of Langchingmanbi. Authorities transported her body to the district hospital in Churachandpur for legal formalities. Police said cases have been registered and investigations are underway while combined security forces are continuing search operations to track down those involved. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Meanwhile, CoTU has also termed the incident as 'another targeted assault in what has now become a systematic campaign' and blamed the state govt as directly responsible for allowing such atrocities to unfold under its watch. CoTU alleged that Meitei aggressors were being allowed to act unchecked and that failure to protect vulnerable populations had once again led to loss of life. CoTU put forward three demands — immediate action against those responsible for the killing, concrete steps from the central govt to safeguard tribal lives and territories and an independent investigation into repeated violations of buffer zone arrangements. Calling upon all communities, institutions, organisations and individuals, CoTU has urged strict observance of the shutdown. The Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights has also strongly condemned the killing of Haokip, calling it a horrific act of violence. Meanwhile, the inspector general of police and other top officials conducted an inspection at the site of the recent Phubala firing incident, where suspected Kuki armed miscreants allegedly opened fire on farmers ploughing in the low canal areas, injuring a farmer. In response to the incident, the Apunba Meira Paibi of Phubala, along with various civil society organisations, held a joint meeting. Although no official statement has been released about the meeting, no reports of a shutdown have emerged so far — despite an earlier announcement by a Meira Paibi leader calling for a shutdown. The leader had demanded that the chief secretary, security advisor, and the governor of Manipur visit the affected site and ensure justice for the farmers.
