Guwahati: May 3, 2023, was a dark day in the state of Manipur when violent clashes broke out. Two years have passed since May 2023, yet Manipur stands divided, with both the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo communities separated by security-backed buffer zones.
To mark the two years of violence, both the Meitei community, now largely situated in the valley, and the Kuki-Zo community took out their processions, which had a conflicting and contradictory character. In Imphal, the Manipur People’s Convention released a statement condemning the government’s failure to resolve the crisis. The Convention has issued key resolutions in response to the ongoing turmoil:
1. Acknowledgement of State Failure
2. Demand for Accountability
3. Rejection of Government Narrative
4. End to Proxy War and Illegal Patronage
5. Restoration of Fundamental Rights
6. Ensure Free and Safe Movement
7. Legal Action Against Unlawful and Anti-Peace Activities
8. Protection of Forests and Action Against Opium Cultivation
9. Documentation of Illegality
10. Enforce the National Register of Citizens (NRC)
In the statement released by the Manipur People’s Convention, they have stated, “If these demands are not met within a clearly specified timeframe, it will amount to the complete alienation and abandonment of the people of Manipur. In such a scenario, the people shall be compelled to chart their own course of collective measures which could affect the mutual relationship between the people of Manipur and the Government of India.”
In stark contrast, the Kuki-Zo community observed Separation Day in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi District, marking their severance from the Meitei-majority after the violent events of 2023. Thousands gathered across the district, commemorating what they call a genocide that shattered their homes, displaced thousands, and created a permanent divide in Manipur’s social fabric. Amang Chongloi, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), spoke with deep emotion and clarity. “Two years on, while much of the world has moved on, we cannot. The wounds of May 3, 2023, remain raw,” he declared. He underscored that Separation Day marks a “day of severance” from the Meitei community in Manipur, and it stands as a solemn and powerful reminder of a tragic rupture—an irreversible breaking point in the relationship between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. “It is a day to affirm our identity, mourn our dead, honour our survivors, and proclaim to the world that coexistence with those who inflicted such suffering upon us is no longer possible. Any hope of reconciliation with the Meitei community has been extinguished by the scale of brutality we endured,” he stated.
The dark reality of the Internally Displaced Persons
The situation of internally displaced people (IDPs) remains one of the most pressing concerns. Two years into the conflict, many IDPs still reside in overcrowded, unsanitary camps with limited access to food, water, and healthcare. Despite efforts from humanitarian groups, the IDPs continue to face neglect, living in harsh conditions as they remain displaced without hope for a safe return. Leishangthem Inaocha, an IDP from Moreh, had to flee when the violence broke out in the hills. “I have lost my home, and my family is in relief camps. So far, we have not received any positive response from the government. What will happen to our kids, and what will be built for their future? We are staying like foreigners in our own land. We request the government to take us back to Moreh for resettlement,” added Leishangthem Inaocha.
As Manipur grapples with the aftermath of two years of violence, the urgency for political solutions, humanitarian assistance, and community healing is clearer than ever.