Civil conflict in India’s Manipur threatens food supplies to 100,000 people, warns non-profit

‘More than 10,000 hectares of agricultural land in the northeastern state might not see rice plantation’

The ongoing civil conflict in India’s border state Manipur has threatened food security in the region, warned a prominent local non-profit that called for an imminent resolution of the dispute.

Due to unprovoked attacks on farmers, more than 10,000 hectares of agricultural land in the northeastern state might not see rice plantation this season, Irabot Foundation Manipur said, urging the government to act immediately.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the president of the group, Gopen Luwang, said around 100,000 people may be deprived of a sufficient share of rice, with the region seeing widespread starvation in the coming years.

Manipur has been under the grip of unprecedented violence for nearly two months. There have been more than 100 deaths, while 40,000 people have been displaced in clashes between the largely Hindu Meitei, which constitute little over half of the state’s population and tribal group Kuki, which make up 16 per cent of the population and comprise mostly of Christians.

The clashes first erupted after a “Tribal Solidarity March” was called by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur in May.

The march was organised in protest against the demand for the inclusion of the area’s majority Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, following a 19 April Manipur High Court directive.

Under Indian law, some government jobs, college admissions and electoral seats – from village councils to parliament – are reserved for communities under the ST category as a form of affirmative action to tackle historical structural inequality and discrimination.

Charred remains of official residence of Manipur’s minister Nemcha Kipgen in Imphal, which was set ablaze by mob last evening during ongoing ethnic violence in India’s north-eastern Manipur state, pictured on 15 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

The Kuki community has opposed the Meitei community’s inclusion in the list, fearing opportunity and job loss due to the group’s demographically and politically advantageous position. The tribal group also argued that extending affirmative action to the Meiteis could expand their economic dominance and allow them to take over land in tribal areas.

Mr Luwang highlighted that the farmers were not able to cultivate rice and vegetable due to unprovoked attacks on them by unknown miscreants.

“Around 40 thousand metric tonnes of rice would be under deficit next year, which means around one lakh [100,000] of the population will not receive a sufficient share of rice; this is an alarming situation and the government must step on the pedal if they want to avoid famine in Manipur,” said Mr Luwang, according to local daily Imphal Free Press.

Smoke bellows from a street after a standoff between mob and security forces at Sekhon in Imphal East during ongoing ethnic violence in India’s north-eastern Manipur state on 15 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, India’s Supreme Court on Monday directed the state’s government to provide an updated status report on the ethnic violence, as the country’s solicitor general Tushar Mehta informed the court that the situation was improving, “though slowly”.

Earlier, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the Manipur Tribal Forum, said the situation in the region has worsened, and told the court that the number of killings have gone up from 20 to 110.

The tribal forum had filed a petition in the top court seeking the protection of the Kukis by the Indian army.

The chief minister of the neighbouring Mizoram state also issued a statement saying the situation in Manipur has “worsened”.

“At this very moment, 3.30am, July the 4th, 2023; nothing seems to have changed. We are counting, and today is the 62nd day,” tweeted chief minister Zoramthanga.

“While we hope with much goodwill, anticipation and hope, things would turn for the better, situations seem to have worsened [sic]. When will it STOP?” he asked and sought the federal government’s support for the rehabilitation of 12,000 people displaced from Manipur to Mizoram.

Earlier, India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi took a helicopter to Manipur and visited relief camps to meet people who were affected by ethnic violence.

Mr Gandhi also raised concerns over the scarcity of medicines, food and other basic amenities at the relief camps and urged the government to take action.

Several rounds of peace talks between the two groups have failed and sporadic incidents of violence and arson continue to deepen the crisis in the state governed by prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Federal home minister Amit Shah visited the state early this month and met community leaders in a bid to restore peace.

But the opposition has repeatedly questioned the prime minister’s “stoic silence” while asking Manipur’s chief minister N Biren Sigh to resign from his post.