Politics Of Ethnic Conflict In Manipur

Abstract

This article analyses the conflict between the Kuki and Naga ethnic groups in the state of Manipur in North East India and attempts to understand why tensions arose in the first place and remain today between the two ethnic groups despite the formal cessation of hostilities in 1997. This ethnic conflict is shown to be a consequence of a lingering identity problem, aggravated by land disputes and equivocal responses of the state. It is argued that continued land disputes, the Nagas’ unwillingness to perform Kuki customary rites and the government’s indifference to the problem prevent these two groups from reaching a sustainable solution.

Keywords

affirmative action conflict ethnic groups government identity India Kuki Manipur Naga North East India politics Scheduled Tribes

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Blimes

Randall J.

(2006) ‘The Indirect Effect of Ethnic Heterogeneity on the Likelihood of Civil War Onset’, Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50(4) (August): 536–47.

Brubaker

Rogers

Laitin

David D.

(1998) ‘Ethnic and Nationalist Violence’, Annual Review of Sociology, 24 (August): 423–52.

Deka

Kaushik

Jolly

Asit

(2012) ‘The Bloodlands of Assam’. India Today International, (13 August): 12–18.

Dena

Lal

(1999) ‘The Kuki-Naga Conflict: Juxtaposed in the Colonial Context’. In Aggarwal

Kailash S.

(Ed.), Dynamics of Identity and Intergroup Relations in North-East India (pp. 183–87). Shimla: Indian Institute of Advanced Study.

Fearon

James D.

(2003) ‘Ethnic and Cultural Diversity by Country’, Journal of Economic Growth, 8(2) (June): 195–222.

Fearon

James D.

Laitin

David D.

(2000) ‘Violence and the Social Construction of Ethnic Identity’, International Organization, 54(4) (November): 845–77.

Gangte

T.S.

(2007) ‘Struggle for Identity and Land among the Hill Peoples of Manipur’, Kuki International Forum, 11 August, [Available at http://kukiforum.com/2007/08/struggle-for-identity-and-land-among-the-hill-peoples-of-manipur-2/]. (Last accessed 20 February 2011).

GlobalSecurity.org (2000) ‘National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN)’. [Available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/nscn.htm] (Last accessed 19 March 2011).

Haokip

P.S.

(1998) Zale’n-gam: The Kuki Nation. (KNO publication for private circulation only).

10.

Haokip

Thongkholal

(2013) ‘The Kuki-Naga Conflict in Light of Recent Publications’, South Asia Research, 33(1) (February): 77–87.

11.

Hueiyen Lanpao (2010) ‘Kukis Also Oppose Muivah’s Manipur Visit, Says KIM’, 5 May. [Available at http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/news.php?newsid=443] (last accessed 17 March 2011).

12.

Imphal Free Press (2011) ‘CM inaugurates Kangpokpi ADC building despite indiscriminate firing by militants’. 17 December.

13.

Indian Census (2001a) ‘Manipur Data Highlights: The Scheduled Tribes’. [Available at http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_st_manipur.pdf] (last accessed 27 February 2011).

14.

Indian Census (2001b) ‘National Summary Data Page (NSDP)’. [Available at http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/National_Summary/More_Link/note.aspx] (last accessed 27 February 2011).

15.

Kabui

Gangumei

(1995) ‘Genesis of the Ethnoses of Manipur’. In Sanajaoba

Naorem

(Ed.), Manipur: Past and Present, Vol. 3 (pp. 25–9). New Delhi: Mittal Publications.

16.

Kamaroopi (1993) ‘Ethnic Cleansing’, Economic and Political Weekly, 28(41) (9 October): 2172–73.

17.

Kuki National Front (2012) Kukiland (The Land of the Kukis). (KNF publication for private circulation only).

18.

Laithangbam

Iboyaima

(2011) ‘What a Sigh of Relief in this Restive State!’ The Sentinel. 1 November.

19.

Magnier

Mark

(2011) ‘In Manipur, India, Hostilities Persist Despite Blockade’s End’, Los Angeles Times, 2 November.

20.

Mahanta

Nani G.

(2012) ‘A Kashmir in the Making’, India Today International, 1 October 2012: 8.

21.

Manipur Planning Department (2009) ‘Draft Manipur State Development Report (Revised) as on 23 October 2009’. [Available at http://planningmanipur.gov.in/pdf/MSDR/Chapter%2017_Land%20Rights%20Autonomy.pdf] (last accessed 1 April 2011).

22.

McDuie-Ra

Duncan

(2012) ‘Cosmopolitan Tribals: Frontier Migrants in Delhi’, South Asia Research, 32(1) (February): 39–55.

23.

Minorities at Risk Project (2000). ‘Assessment for Nagas in India’, 31 December. [Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/469f3a9246.html] (last accessed 19 March 2011).

24.

Minorities at Risk Project (2004) ‘Chronology for Nagas in India’. [Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/469f38981e.html] (last accessed 19 March 2011).

25.

‘No Easy Peace’ (1995) Economic and Political Weekly, 30(9) (4 March): 408.

26.

Oinam

Bhagat

(2003) ‘Patterns of Ethnic Conflict in the North-East: A Study on Manipur’, Economic and Political Weekly, 38(21) (24–30 May): 2031–37.

27.

Press Information Bureau, Government of India (2009) ‘Revision of the list of Scheduled Tribes in the States of Manipur & Arunachal Pradesh’, 29 October. [Available at http://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=53706] (last accessed 20 March 2011).

28.

Ross

Marc Howard

(1995) ‘Psychocultural Interpretation Theory and Peacemaking in Ethnic Conflicts’, Political Psychology, 16(3) (September): 523–44.

29.

Sadowski

Yahya

(1998) ‘Ethnic Conflict’, Foreign Policy, 111 (Summer): 12–23.

30.

Sangai Express (2011a) ‘Kuki Bodies Demand Justice’, 15 January.

31.

Sadowski

Yahya

(2011b) ‘Ngamthang Clarifies on Sadar Hills’, 8 November.

32.

Sadowski

Yahya

(2011c) ‘Nipamacha Recalls Last Minute Ditch of Sadar Hills’, 7 November.

33.

Shakespear

John

(1912) The Lushei Kuki Clans. London: Macmillan and Co.

34.

Shaw

William

(1997) Notes on The Thadou Kukis. Guwahati: Spectrum Publications.

35.

Shimray

U.A.

(2004) ‘Socio-Political Unrest in the Region Called North-East India’, Economic and Political Weekly, 39(42) (16–22 October): 4637–43.

36.

Singh

W. Nabakumar

(2004) ‘The Inter-Ethnic Relationship of the Different Communities of Manipur: A Critical Appraisal’. Kuki International Forum, 22 December. [Available at http://kukiforum.com/2004/12/ethnic-relationship-of-different-communities-in-manipur/] (last accessed 17 March 2011).

37.

South Asia Terrorism Portal (2001) ‘Incidents Involving National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak-Muivah’. [Available at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/nagaland/terrorist_outfits/NSCN_IM_tl.htm] (last accessed 18 March 2011).

38.

Tarapot

Phanjoubam

(2003) Bleeding Manipur. New Delhi: Har-Anand.

39.

Telegraph (2002) ‘Kukis in Blockade Call’, 2 December.

40.

Telegraph (2007) ‘Kukis Set Deadline—15 Days for Ibobi to Upgrade Sadar Hills’, 28 September.

41.

Times of India (2011) ‘Manipur Economic Blockade Called-Off after 92 Days’, 1 November.

42.

Times of India (2012) ‘Indefinite Road Blockade in Manipur by Kukis’, 18 November.

43.

Tohring

S.R.

(2010) Violence and Identity in North-East India: Naga-Kuki Conflict. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.

44.

Unnithan

Sandeep

Deka

Kaushik

(2012) ‘Armed and Dangerous in Ceasefire Country’, India Today International, 15 October 2012: 20–35.

45.

Varshney

Ashutosh

(2001) ‘Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond’, World Politics, 53(3) (April): 362–98.

46.

Videlici

Zapo

(1993) ‘Divide and Rule’, Economic and Political Weekly, 28(45) (6 November): 2422.

47.

Zee News (2012) ‘Over 30,000 North-East People Flee Bangalore’, 18 August.