Communal violence in India's Manipur: Kidnapped women and children remain missing

The fate of six individuals, including three children and women, remains unknown amid escalating communal violence between tribal Christians and Meitei Hindus in India’s northeastern state of Manipur.

On November 12, Kuki-Zo tribal Christians were accused of abducting 11 Meitei Hindus in Jiribam district. While five of the victims were rescued by security forces, six others, including women and children, are still in captivity.

Jiribam has now become the epicentre of sectarian conflict, where two Hindus were found dead on November 12, allegedly in retaliation for the police shooting of 11 Kuki-Zo members the day before. In response, security forces have launched a large-scale operation to free the hostages.

A senior Church leader involved in peace talks described the situation as dire, saying, “What we now witness is an ongoing cycle of retaliation between the warring factions. The state has lost complete control of law and order.”

He also noted that “the entire state is under shutdown” with reports of violence coming in from several parts. He blamed the state’s Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, for stoking the conflict, accusing the government of escalating tensions between the Meitei Hindus and the Kuki-Zo tribal Christians.

The violence dates back to May 2023, when Meitei Hindus campaigned for tribal status to receive benefits under India’s affirmative action policy. This has caused significant unrest, with tribal groups fearing that granting the Meitei this status would allow them to purchase land in indigenous territories. The dispute has resulted in over 230 deaths and displaced more than 60,000 people, mostly from Christian tribal communities.

The fresh wave of violence began on November 7, when Meitei gunmen killed an indigenous Kuki woman in Zairawn village, Jiribam. This was followed by the deaths of 11 Kuki-Zo members in a police operation on November 11. In response to the situation, the federal government has deployed additional security forces to restore law and order.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, the primary body representing the tribal communities, has condemned the killing of its members, who they describe as “village volunteers.” In a statement issued on November 12, the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council also expressed their dismay at the killings.

“The hope for restoring peace has grown weaker,” the Church leader said, expressing his concern over the escalating violence. “Now, nobody can predict what will happen next.”

The Catholic Church, which has a significant presence in the region, has been involved in efforts to mediate peace. The diocese in Imphal, led by Archbishop Linus Neli, has been providing support to displaced families, but the ongoing violence continues to hamper peace efforts.