Introduction Schools in India’s northeastern state of Manipur resumed classes on Tuesday after a prolonged period of over a week due to renewed ethnic violence. Fresh fighting between the Meitei and Kuki communities picked up since mid-May 2023, causing mayhem almost everywhere. And yet, while the situation is disastrous, the state government of Manipur has announced the resumption of normal classes – an apparent move to restore the area to normalcy.
Background: Ethnic Violence in Manipur
Ethnic conflict in Manipur started in May this year and, up to date, resulted in over 200 deaths and thousands of people displaced. The violence, apparently, has deep roots from the ethnic conflict between the mainly Hindu Meitei and the mainly Christian Kuki communities. This is a particular situation because the state borders Myanmar, which, at the same time, is fighting its internal war.
Violence in Manipur and School Closures PART
After several months of relatively peaceful conditions, the violence had picked up earlier this month with killings of at least 11 people. According to reports, the insurgent groups were using rockets and drones in their attacks on the region that further went a notch high in the scenario. The results were protests in the state capital Imphal led by students, who turn Meitei. The chaos led to the imposition of a curfew and an internet blackout in an attempt to control the situation.Schools Reopen as Violence Eases
Hours after restoring internet services on Monday, the Manipur government said schools will reopen on Tuesday, marking a tentative return to everyday life for its students and their families. This is a very crucial step toward restoring order that has been upended by weeks of unrest.Chief Minister Biren Singh was quoted as saying in a statement that the public should “exercise restraint in using the internet and not misuse it by disseminating inflammatory material,” which could fan more flames of violence. The state government is solely focused on re-establishing peace and tranquility in the region as it tries to heal from months of violence.
Intercommunity Tensions between Meitei and Kuki Communities Date Back for Years
Land and public jobs constitute the heart of contention between the Meiteis and Kukis. The Meiteis, being in a majority in Manipur, have always demanded special status and condoned themselves to a right to get more landholdings as well as employment opportunities in the public sector, which Kukis and other ethnic groups apprehend as it further marginalises them.Rights activists have accused local political leaders of fueling ethnic divisions for political gains, making things much more difficult in the already arduous process of resolving the crisis. Manipur is a BJP-led state whose government is headed by the Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and people have been publicly criticizing the way the government handled it.
Government’s Appeal for Peace
And the state government, now urging both communities to work toward peace, as schools in Manipur reopen. “Education and normalcy are important for recovery for a state that has been at war for months,” said Chief Minister Singh.Reopening of schools is one good landmark in this very effort at restoring normalcy of life in Manipur. Yet, if this state can permanently ensure peace transcending the undercurrent of existing ethnic divisions, only time would say.
The reopening of the schools brings a small ray of hope to a region that otherwise has generally borne the brunt of ethnic violence. The situation seems to be stabilizing, although tensions between the Meitei and the Kuki have been longstanding. Restoring order remains the charge of the state government that continues to concentrate on keeping peace and preventing a further rise in the scale of violence.