Why in News?
· Manipur’s ethnic crisis, which intensified in May 2023, is witnessing a new Kuki-Zo-Naga dimension even as Meitei-Kuki-Zo violence has relatively declined.
· Since February 2026, clashes in hill districts have caused deaths, arson, displacement and disruption of essential supplies.
· By early September 2026, reports put deaths in the new violence at atleast 34.
· The emerging fault line reflects unresolved questions of land, identity, customary authority, political representation and security governance.
Nature, Causes and Historical Roots
· Geographical spread: Violence has extended across Ukhrul, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Tamenglong and Noney, turning local disputes into wider inter-community tensions.
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Retaliatory cycle: In September 2026, attacks on Liangmai Naga villages in Kangpokpi reportedly resulted in about 30 houses being burnt, following the killing of Kuki-Zo civilians.
· 1990s legacy: The earlier Naga-Kuki conflict involved killings, village destruction and displacement, leaving deep mistrust and competing historical narratives.
· Territorial claims: Naga political aspirations associated with Greater Nagalim overlap with territories inhabited or claimed by Kuki-Zo communities, making land a major source of tension.
· Customary authority: Disputes concern ancestral land, settlement rights and customary jurisdiction, particularly because traditional institutions remain important in the hills.
· Armed-group dimension: Involvement of armed organisations in killings, arson, hostage-taking and blockades can convert local disagreements into an internal-security problem.
· Economic interests: Control over strategic roads and markets, including the NH-37 corridor, adds an economic and connectivity dimension to territorial competition.
Constitutional, Governance and Humanitarian Dimensions
· Article 371C: Provides special constitutional arrangements for Manipur's Hill Areas and establishes the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) to consider legislative matters affecting these areas.
· Autonomous District Councils: The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils provide a framework for tribal self-governance; demands for greater administrative and financial powers, however, remain significant.
· Sixth Schedule debate: Manipur's hill areas are not presently included in the Sixth Schedule, unlike specified tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, contributing to demands for stronger autonomy.
· Rule of law: Article 14's equality principle requires non-discriminatory enforcement of criminal law; selective action against one community can intensify distrust.
· Humanitarian crisis: Human Rights Watch reported that the wider conflict had displaced more than 60,000 people, while renewed clashes have produced additional displacement.
· Relief and healthcare: Blockades and damaged infrastructure can restrict food, medicines, healthcare and education, particularly affecting isolated hill settlements.
· Security responsibility: Article 355 provides the constitutional basis for Union intervention to protect a State against external aggression and internal disturbance.
Challenges in Managing the Kuki-Zo-Naga Conflict
· Deep-rooted historical mistrust: The legacy of the 1990s Naga-Kuki conflict, marked by killings and displacement, sustains collective grievances and facilitates retaliatory violence.
· Competing territorial claims: Naga aspirations linked to Greater Nagalim overlap with Kuki-Zo territorial claims.
- Example: Recent disputes over hill villages have triggered ethnic mobilisation.
· Armed-group involvement: Presence of armed actors increases the intensity and persistence of violence.
- Recent clashes have involved allegations of arson, killings, hostage-taking and blockades.
· Humanitarian and Connectivity disruption: Blockades restrict food, medicines and healthcare in remote areas.
- Example: Disruptions along NH-37 have affected civilian movement and essential supplies.
· Institutional trust deficit and Political polarisation: Prolonged displacement and perceptions of unequal law enforcement weaken confidence in the State.
- Example: The Kuki-Zo community’s prolonged Assembly boycott after 2023 reflected political disengagement, despite two MLAs returning in September 2026.
Way Forward
· Impartial law enforcement: Prosecute murder, arson, extortion, hostage-taking and blockades irrespective of ethnicity, ensuring due process and accountability.
· Protect lifelines: Secure NH-37 and other strategic routes and establish humanitarian corridors for food, medicines and ambulances.
· Institutional dialogue: Create a sustained Naga-Kuki-Zo dialogue platform involving elected representatives, traditional institutions, women, youth and civil society.
· Resolve land disputes: Establish transparent mechanisms involving cadastral records, customary institutions and legal authorities rather than permitting armed groups to determine territorial control.
· Strengthen Article 371C: Improve the functioning and consultative capacity of the HAC on legislation and policies affecting hill communities.
· Rehabilitation: Ensure safe, voluntary and dignified return or resettlement of displaced persons, backed by housing, compensation, livelihoods, schools and healthcare.
· Early-warning system: Establish district-level community liaison and rapid-response mechanisms to prevent local disputes from developing into retaliatory violence.
· Sustained political engagement: Encourage participation of all communities in the Assembly and other constitutional institutions while addressing legitimate administrative grievances through dialogue.Type Here !
