Manipur ethnic conflict characterised by brutality: Data

A database reveals that Manipur experienced daily conflicts for three months after ethnic violence erupted, displacing thousands and hindering relief efforts.

A database compiled using news reported in the local media shows that Manipur witnessed conflicts almost every day in the three months after ethnic violence broke out on May 3, 2023. Such incidents, which were initially limited to the Kuki-Zo community-dominated Churachandpur district in the hilly areas, later spread to the urban valley districts of Imphal East and Imphal West and the rural valley district of Bishnupur. Notably, such incidents in the Naga-dominated hill districts were relatively muted.

The violence, which continues sporadically even today, has displaced thousands of people including pregnant women and children. Local media reports also point out that hundreds of trucks which were carrying humanitarian aid were stranded or attacked in May, stalling relief for the victims.

The conclusions are based on data gathered by the Mapping Humanitarianism Initiative of the Centre for New Economics Studies, Jindal Global University. The group has used a mix of news reports in the local media and data provided by institutions working in the affected areas to map the violence. Also, data were collected from organisations which provided advocacy for entitlements under victim assistance schemes. An incidence of violence recorded by one source is verified by comparing the reportage with two or three other sources which reported on the same incident.

Chart 1 | The chart shows all the incidents of conflict and armed violence, both lethal and non-lethal, that occurred in Manipur following the eruption of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023.

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In the 90 days for which data were recorded, only 16 days recorded no incidence of violence. All the other days saw at least one incident ranging from houses being torched, to cars being set ablaze, to bombs being set off, and gunfights between armed groups. These resulted in injuries and deaths of mostly civilians, followed by soldiers, forest officials, and fire service personnel.

Chart 2 | The chart shows the districts where such incidents were recorded. Each circle corresponds to a violent incident. The bigger the circle, the more the number of violent incidents.