Why has the Centre designated Manipur conflict ‘communal violence?'

In May,  violence erupted in Manipur. This occurred after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Some reports peg the number of dead in the violence at over 200 – the Manipur Police in September said the conflict had claimed 175 lives –while hundreds have been injured and tens of thousands displaced. Now, it has been reported that the Centre has designated the Manipur conflict as ‘communal violence’. But what does this mean? And why has this been done? Let’s take a closer look:  The Economic Times reported that the Centre has labelled the ongoing conflict in Manipur as “communal violence.” According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, communal violence is defined as ‘planned and organised acts of violence by members of a community against members of another community to create or express ill-will or hatred and leading to loss of life or injuries to people’.  Sources told the newspaper the conflict has been labelled ‘communal violence’ in order in order to disburse compensation to victims’ families. Sources added this was necessary to adhere to ‘procedural requirements and that only this nomenclature was found to be applicable. Both the Centre and Manipur have invoked the 2022 ‘central scheme for assistance to civilian victims/family of victims of terrorist/communal/left-wing extremist violence, cross border firing and mine/IED blast on Indian territory for extending compensation to those impacted by the violence in the state’. An official, speaking to the newspaper on condition of anonymity, said, “We do not see the Manipur violence as religion-specific in nature. It is an ethnic conflict with several other dimensions to it. However, we had to categorise it as an act of ‘communal violence’ for governmental processes. Existing schemes to ensure compensation and relief to the impacted people do not cover such incidents. Therefore, processes have required us to fit it into the communal violence category so that timely compensation can be given to the violence-affected persons or their next of kin.”

The newspaper quoted government data as showing that 64 next of kin have been given compensation as victims of ‘communal violence’.

The Centre and state in May each decided to give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to those who died during the ethnic conflict in Manipur. A member of the family of those who died in the violence will also be provided a job, officials said. [caption id=“attachment_13174912” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A demonstrator holds up a placard, during a protest against the alleged sexual assault of two tribal women in Manipur. File image/Reuters[/caption] A top Indian Army official in September told Livemint the state was facing a dangerous and unprecedented situation. Lt. General PC Nair, Director General of Assam Rifles said, “The situation that we are facing in Manipur is unprecedented. We have never faced anything of this kind. Something similar happened in the early 90s when the Nagas and Kukis fought and then within the Kuki groups also there was a fight in the late 90s.” “Today, the biggest challenge is the large number of weapons that are out within both communities. Related to this, is the minds of both communities. Today, there’s so much against each other, it’s so corrupted. " Chief Minister Biren Singh, who has taken much flak over his handling of the crisis, Monday appealed to the indigenous communities of the state “to continue to live as one” and vowed that the state government’s crackdown on illegal drug business will not stop. Singh earlier said the conflict occurred due to a “prevailing misunderstanding between two communities”, as per Indian Express.

 He also blamed a ‘communication gap’.

  Singh, a Metei, further accused Kuki insurgent groups of ‘incitement’, as per BBC. “Restoration of peace and normalcy is paramount. All should refrain from making comments and engage in discussion that could be upsetting for another community,” Singh said in August. There will be difference of opinions but people should keep aside their self-interests and focus more on common interests. “The main objective now is the restoration of peace,” he said. “People should work doubly hard so that the pace of development returns and the state once again moves towards unity and progress that it has been advancing to during the last six years”, Singh added. [caption id=“attachment_12967142” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] N Biren Singh has received a lot of criticism for his handling of the violence that has broken out in the state. File image/PTI[/caption] Singh in August complained that there are too many civil society organisations in Manipur and that they speak in different voices. He said this makes it difficult to find a solution to the ethnic problem rocking Manipur for nearly four months. He urged those bodies to present a concrete proposal to solve the crisis in one voice, so it can be conveyed to the Centre by the state government. “There are too many organisations. We are at a very crucial stage now. Both the central and the state governments are confused about whom to talk to. We will go with the public (opinion) and never work against the interests of the people,” Singh said at a programme. With inputs from agencies