Leaders from the Meitei and Meitei Pangal communities in Manipur held a meeting today to address rising tensions after an assault on a Meitei Pangal youth by the Arambai Tenggol (AT) group. Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba confirmed that both communities agreed to work together for peace, calling for legal action against the perpetrators and the prevention of communal hate speech. They also discussed measures to identify social media instigators and maintain the state’s long-standing peaceful coexistence.
BY PC bureau
In an effort to de-escalate rising tensions, leaders from the Meitei and Meitei Pangal (Muslim) communities in Manipur convened today after a violent incident involving the Arambai Tenggol (AT) group. The attack, which targeted a Meitei Pangal youth, has sparked unrest in the region, with both communities keen on restoring peace.
Held a fruitful session today with the leaders of Meitei & Meitei Pangal and earnestly appeal to all not to take up any action contrary to the ethics of Peaceful co- existence in the state. pic.twitter.com/Oiz9qAbd34
— Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba. (@MaharajaManipur) January 6, 2025
Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba issued a statement following the meeting, confirming that both groups had agreed on the importance of punishing those responsible for the assault according to the law. The Meitei Pangal leader from Kwakta, located 50 km from Imphal, reported that members of the AT had allegedly attacked the youth, with claims of religious sentiments being insulted during the incident.
“If the Arambai Tenggol group fails to apologize and offer a clarification by January 7, we will join forces with all civil society organizations (CSOs) and launch a large-scale protest, demanding justice,” the Kwakta leader said.
The Meitei Pangal community in Kwakta, an area situated between Churachandpur and Bishnupur, has long found itself at the center of ethnic clashes between the Kuki tribes and the Meitei community.
In a post shared on X, Leishemba confirmed that the leaders of both communities had reached a consensus on three key points: preserving peaceful coexistence, ensuring accountability for the perpetrators, and preventing inflammatory rhetoric designed to stir communal discord. They also resolved to enlist the help of the cybercrime department to identify and arrest social media troublemakers.
Leishemba, who met with the community leaders at the Sana Konung today (January 6), emphasized that both communities must uphold their long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence, respecting each other’s customs and religious practices. He urged the people of Manipur to refrain from any actions that might threaten the harmony of the state.
The AT, self-described as “village defense volunteers,” was formed as a response to similar groups from the Kuki tribes with whom the Meitei community has been in conflict since May 2023. Both sides have faced serious accusations of human rights violations.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently examining two cases related to Korounganba Khuman, the leader of the AT. Earlier this year, the Manipur Police issued a warning to the AT, citing its involvement in anti-social activities such as assaults on civilians and the theft of vehicles from both the public and government officials.
The AT, led by Khuman, gained notoriety in the wake of the violent ethnic clashes that erupted on May 3, 2023, and has since claimed that it was forced to take up arms in response to alleged attacks by heavily armed Kuki militants in the foothills, compounded by the absence of effective law enforcement.
In the chaotic early days of the violence, Khuman was seen publicly carrying a bamboo stick, while plumes of smoke rose from a village in the distance. The AT’s members maintain that their actions are a direct response to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
BY PC Bureau
In an effort to de-escalate rising tensions, leaders from the Meitei and Meitei Pangal (Muslim) communities in Manipur convened today after a violent incident involving the Arambai Tenggol (AT) group. The attack, which targeted a Meitei Pangal youth, has sparked unrest in the region, with both communities keen on restoring peace.
Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba issued a statement following the meeting, confirming that both groups had agreed on the importance of punishing those responsible for the assault according to the law. The Meitei Pangal leader from Kwakta, located 50 km from Imphal, reported that members of the AT had allegedly attacked the youth, with claims of religious sentiments being insulted during the incident.
“If the Arambai Tenggol group fails to apologize and offer a clarification by January 7, we will join forces with all civil society organizations (CSOs) and launch a large-scale protest, demanding justice,” the Kwakta leader said.
The Meitei Pangal community in Kwakta, an area situated between Churachandpur and Bishnupur, has long found itself at the center of ethnic clashes between the Kuki tribes and the Meitei community.
The Meitei Pangal community is distinct for its blend of Meitei cultural heritage and Islamic religion, reflecting the diversity of religious practices in the region. While they share common ethnic roots with the Meitei people, they have developed their own religious, cultural, and social practices over time, particularly influenced by Islam.
The Meitei Pangal community predominantly resides in the Imphal Valley and nearby areas of Manipur, particularly in places like Kwakta and Lilong. Like the broader Meitei group, the Meitei Pangal community has experienced periods of tension with other ethnic groups in the region, such as the Kuki and Naga communities, especially amid the ongoing ethnic and political conflicts in the state.
In recent years, the Meitei Pangal community has faced specific challenges, including being caught between the clashes of the Meitei and Kuki groups, as well as the socio-political struggles surrounding ethnic identity and religious conflict in Manipur.
In a post shared on X, Leishemba confirmed that the leaders of both communities had reached a consensus on three key points: preserving peaceful coexistence, ensuring accountability for the perpetrators, and preventing inflammatory rhetoric designed to stir communal discord. They also resolved to enlist the help of the cybercrime department to identify and arrest social media troublemakers.
Leishemba, who met with the community leaders at the Sana Konung today (January 6), emphasized that both communities must uphold their long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence, respecting each other’s customs and religious practices. He urged the people of Manipur to refrain from any actions that might threaten the harmony of the state.
The AT, self-described as “village defense volunteers,” was formed as a response to similar groups from the Kuki tribes with whom the Meitei community has been in conflict since May 2023. Both sides have faced serious accusations of human rights violations.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently examining two cases related to Korounganba Khuman, the leader of the AT. Earlier this year, the Manipur Police issued a warning to the AT, citing its involvement in anti-social activities such as assaults on civilians and the theft of vehicles from both the public and government officials.
The AT, led by Khuman, gained notoriety in the wake of the violent ethnic clashes that erupted on May 3, 2023, and has since claimed that it was forced to take up arms in response to alleged attacks by heavily armed Kuki militants in the foothills, compounded by the absence of effective law enforcement.
In the chaotic early days of the violence, Khuman was seen publicly carrying a bamboo stick, while plumes of smoke rose from a village in the distance. The AT’s members maintain that their actions are a direct response to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
