Here's Why Manipur Has Been Burning For The Last Two Months

Manipur is in lockdown.  Till now, protests and clashes have happened even with the 100,000 army troops stationed there, who enjoy complete authority under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), to battle the many ethnic groups that are hell bent on anarchy. The state has seen 20,000 deaths in the last 60 years, many of which are "extra-judicial killings" - outside the purview of the law.

Add this to Manipur’s newest fear, and the state suddenly caught fire over the last 2 months.

July 2015: The death of Sapam Robinhood, and Manipur goes into lockdown

kanglaonline

In July this year, students protestors called for strikes protest against alleged police excesses against girl students. The convenor of the student wing, Oinam Nandababu, said the general strike was called also to protest against the government's failure to take action against policemen involved in the alleged police killing of 16-year-old student protester Sapam Robinhood. Manipur announces lockdown, which would persist for 2 months. No schools, no office, no buses on the roads, causing even more agitation.

These 3 bills have left Manipur furious 

protests

Soon after the Manipur State Assembly passed the Protection of Manipur People’s Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, eight people were killed and another 31 injured in Manipur's hill districts as mobs attacked security personnel. It was rumored that the bill aimed to take away tribal land, causing the first wave of violence in Churachandpur, where the homes of MLAs and parliamentarians were set on fire,

Why were these bills passed?

agencies

These bills were passed because Imphal-based civil society groups demanded implementing an Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to regulate the entry of outsiders into Manipur. However, contentious provisions such as setting 1951 as the cut off year to determine who is a Manipuri and including a small portion of Churachandpur district in the regulations on sale of land to outsiders infuriated the hill tribes, who also pointed out that the Hill Areas Committee wasn’t consulted on the legislations. As a result, polarisation between Manipur’s valley and hills is threatening to tear apart the state.

However, their anger seems unfounded 

agencies

The Manipur government said the three bills do not infringe on the rights of the tribal communities. Ashok Kumar, the secretary to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, said the amendment of Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act does not extend to the hill areas and does not alter the present status of tribal land. 

Why do Manipuris want this protection from ‘outsiders’?

agencies

Manipuris feel threatened by the increasing numbers of Non-Manipuris; civil society leaders even submitted a memorandum to the state Chief Minister stating that migrant population had increased to 400% (1948-2011). Apart from treated like aliens anywhere they go in India, the Northeast people had seen how Tripura, Sikkim and Assam had seen indigenous population become a minority. 

"We are becoming refugees in our own land, but we can't raise our voice. If we do, we are termed anti-national and communal..." (Tseten T. Bhutia, Convenor,Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee, working towards the rights and interests for Sikkim's indigenous minority)

Considering the increasing population, The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Bill was passed to control control how much land non-Manipuris could buy.  "it is...considered necessary to regulate the sale of land to Non-Manipur persons of the state so that the limited available land in the valley area are available to all the permanent residents of the state…”

According to Minister Th. Debendra while giving the statement of objects and reasons at the time of passing the bill on 31 August 2015:  "There has been apprehension among the general public of Manipur that without regulation on sale of land in the very near future many families in the state may not have a roof over their heads. Hence, there is an urgent need to regulate the sale of land to non-Manipur persons."