Manipur's Ethnic Violence Persists Amid Calls for Reconciliation

Reports that at least nine people were killed in the latest outbreak of violence across Manipur’s hill districts on the night of October 9 point, yet again, to the state government’s incapacity to heal or contain schisms in the state. By all accounts, the violence between the Kuki and Naga communities spanned three districts — Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Senapati — and involved ambushes and gunfights by armed groups. It is disturbing that even after three-and-a-half years of ethnic violence, there is only a fragile calm, and little progress seems to have been made towards an enduring end to the conflict. After the N Biren Singh government was dissolved in February 2025, it was hoped that President’s Rule would make space for an administration seen to be less partisan to stabilise the situation. But while large-scale violent clashes declined, normalcy remained elusive, and the deep divides that had taken hold since May 2023 persisted. As calls for an elected government grew louder, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a Meitei like his predecessor, was chosen as chief minister. The appointment of a Kuki and a Naga deputy CM gave hope that political representation would pave the way for a lasting settlement. But the old Kuki-Naga fault line that fuelled bloodshed in the 1990s has been reopened. Since February, dozens of people from both communities have been killed and houses torched. The Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas are now caught in overlapping conflicts, with civilians bearing the brunt not only of the violence but also of blockades across the hill districts that restrict access to essential supplies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met CM Y Khemchand Singh on Saturday and promised all possible assistance to the embattled state government. But a return to normalcy will remain out of reach without a concerted effort, first, to demilitarise society and re-establish the state’s authority. In August, Singh issued a 15-day ultimatum for the voluntary surrender of illegal firearms, thousands of which have been looted from state armouries since the conflict began. This was not the first such appeal: Soon after President’s Rule was imposed in February 2025, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla had also called for the surrender of weapons. The continued prevalence of gun violence suggests that such appeals have not worked. Disarming armed groups and punishing those responsible for the killings must be an immediate priority. But the government must also create the conditions for sustained dialogue. Restoring the freedom of movement and making it possible for people to live safely alongside one another will have to be step one in a long process of reconciliation.