Legislative changes around forest land, flawed enforcement, and politicized narratives left hill communities vulnerable, the PUCL report said.
By Navin Upadhyay
August 22, 2025: An exhaustive report by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has highlighted the complex interplay of state inaction, divisive politics, and land disputes that set the stage for the ethnic violence in Manipur in May 2023.
Drawing on extensive testimonies from local communities, women’s organizations, and experts, the report–Independent People’s tribunal on the ongoing Ethnic conflict in Manipur– paints a picture of governance failures, systematic marginalization, and political manipulation that exacerbated tensions between the Kuki and Meitei communities.
At the heart of the conflict lies a longstanding issue of forest land rights and encroachment, which the PUCL report identifies as a primary trigger of discontent in the hill districts. Many villages in Churachandpur and surrounding areas have historically existed on lands later notified as Protected Forests (PF) or Reserved Forests (RF). According to the report, the Churachandpur-Khoupum PF notification of 1966 was repeatedly modified between 1972 and 1988 following representations from local inhabitants. However, all prior amendments were annulled by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in November 2022, setting aside 38 orders issued by Assistant and Forest Officers.
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The decision sparked outrage among hill communities, particularly in five hamlets of Kungpinosen, where records dating back to 1892 confirm continuous habitation. Following the November 2022 orders, several villagers were forcibly evicted from lands that they had occupied for generations. This action not only undermined the authority of village councils but also stoked fears of further displacement, highlighting the fragile state of tribal rights under the Manipur government.
The PUCL report notes that these actions were widely perceived as biased. Certain decisions, including declaring historical land surveys null and void and commissioning fresh surveys, appeared to prioritize strategic land near the valley—areas coveted for future real estate development—over the established rights of hill tribes. Controversies over Thangjing Hill, deemed sacred by the Meiteis, further aggravated tensions, with the Kuki community asserting traditional ownership through their chiefs.
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Adding to these tensions, the report recalls a provocative incident six to seven months before the May 2023 violence: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha volunteers planted trees on Thangjing Hill, disregarding objections from Kuki leaders. Meiteis countered that the hill was “sacred” and could be used freely, forcing the government to treat disputed areas as reserved forests. Such designations prohibited human habitation, threatening the existence and future expansion of nearly 38 Kuki villages.
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Kuki organizations testified that legislative measures introduced since 2015—including the designation of tribal lands as Protected Forests, Reserved Forests, Wetland Protection areas, and wildlife sanctuaries—had systematically bypassed legal procedures. Public notifications, hearings, and the consent of village chiefs and Hill Area Committees were often ignored, undermining tribal autonomy and creating widespread mistrust of the state.
State Inaction and Failure to Mediate
PUCL testimonies underscore a pattern of state failure to maintain law and order or act as an impartial mediator. Despite warning signs and prior incidents of ethnic tension, authorities reportedly took no significant preventive measures, allowing misinformation and hate propaganda to proliferate unchecked. Many witnesses, particularly women, emphasized a collective desire for peace that was neglected by the state.
One witness recalled historical precedents where the state had acted as a mediator, including during the 1993 Pangal Muslim violence and Naga-Kuki conflicts. Unlike these earlier episodes, the May 2023 clashes escalated without intervention, suggesting deliberate negligence or complicity. Testimonies highlighted disproportionate use of force, including firing without warning and deployment of lethal methods where non-fatal alternatives could have been employed, further deepening mistrust in government authorities.
The report also details how communities resorted to ad hoc measures to protect civilians. Kuki women, for instance, formed human chains to shield Meitei women during violent episodes, guiding them to security forces for protection. Similar efforts ensured the safe passage of Meitei youth from conflict zones, emphasizing the grassroots desire for peaceful coexistence despite ongoing hostilities.
PUCL Panel Seeks SC-Monitored Probe into Manipur Violence@kavisriv @VSuresh_Rights #ManipurViolence #PUCLReport#SupremeCourtProbe #JusticeForManipur#ConstitutionalFailure #HumanRights https://t.co/hIXzM0Srkn
— Navin Upadhyay (@Navinupadhya) August 20, 2025
Divisive Politics and Propaganda
PUCL’s report identifies the deliberate politicization of ethnic identity as a critical factor in the escalation of violence. Historical narratives questioning Kuki indigeneity, first promoted in 2012 by retired army major R.K. Rajendro, framed the community as immigrants from Myanmar, a portrayal later embraced by certain Meitei and Naga groups.
Political organizations such as Arambai Tengol and Meitei Lipun reportedly enjoyed state patronage, advancing a narrative that painted Christians and other non-Hindu groups as threats to Meitei society. These groups, alongside the Kokomi Coordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity, escalated rhetoric into calls for a “Manipuri National war” against the Kukis in June 2023, effectively mobilizing Meitei communities to participate in ethnically charged confrontations.
Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, according to the PUCL report, contributed significantly to this divisive narrative, repeatedly depicting Kukis as poppy cultivators, illegal immigrants, and narco-terrorists. The report suggests that state endorsement or acquiescence to such rhetoric fostered a political climate in which violence could be perceived as legitimate self-defense or cultural preservation.
Humanitarian Concerns and Rehabilitation
The PUCL report also highlights severe shortcomings in post-violence rehabilitation. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) languished in camps under inadequate conditions, with little government effort to restore housing or livelihoods. The lack of rehabilitation efforts further signals either neglect or tacit complicity, with communities left to fend for themselves.
Women’s organizations from both Kuki and Meitei communities emerged as critical actors in maintaining safety and protecting civilians during the conflict. Their testimonies reveal that, despite deep provocation and historical grievances, they consistently acted to prevent escalation and save lives, often at personal risk. These efforts stand in stark contrast to the state’s failure to mediate or provide protection, highlighting a vacuum of governance that exacerbated communal mistrust.
The PUCL report underscores a troubling pattern of state failure and complicity in Manipur. Legislative actions regarding forest lands, the selective application of law, and the deliberate neglect of mediation created conditions ripe for conflict. Coupled with divisive politics and inflammatory rhetoric, these factors culminated in the May 3, 2023 violence, leaving communities scarred and displaced.
The report stresses that the desire for peace remained strong among ordinary citizens, particularly women, yet was insufficiently supported or facilitated by the state. Grassroots humanitarian actions by women’s organizations mitigated the worst consequences of the violence, demonstrating the potential for reconciliation and coexistence if supported by genuine government intervention.
PUCL’s findings call for urgent reforms: recognition and protection of tribal land rights, impartial mediation in times of conflict, and robust mechanisms to counter misinformation and hate propaganda. Only through proactive governance, community engagement, and respect for constitutional protections can Manipur hope to prevent the recurrence of such ethnic violence and build a lasting framework for peace.
