INDIA FACES SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN MANIPUR

 

OutSyed The Box

Monday, March 3, 2025

INDIA FACES SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN MANIPUR

 

 First a short video:

 

My Comments :

India faces two big problems in Manipur. The first problem is extremely difficult to overcome - not just in Manipur but throughout India and Pakistan - this is the problem of caste, race, language and religion. 

The only places where Indians have overcome the problems of caste, race, language and religion to some extent seem to be among Indians born and raised OUTSIDE of India. The Indian diaspora born and raised outside India, especially in Singapore and in the West, where economic and social advancement is not linked to anything 'Indian' do not seem to suffer the 'hostility' of caste, race, language and religion.

In Manipur the Kukis (as per the video) are an ethnic group and one of the largest hill tribes in that part of the world extending into Myanmar, Bangladesh, and sharing close ties with the Mizo people of Mizoram and the Chin people of Myanmar, collectively called the "Zo people". In short they are a mega-civilization in that neighbourhood.

But inside Manipur the Kukis are a minority - less than 20% of the population. And the Kukis are CHRISTIANS. Thank you to the Christian missionaries. The majority population of Manipur are the Meitei tribe. They are 51% of the population. And they are Hindus.  

• Meiteis and Kukis speak different languages. That is a bad. 
• Then they are Christian versus Hindu - another bad. 
• Since everyone in India still knows their caste origins (they check it at least three times a day) the Meitis and Kukis are also of different castes - big bad.

Plus since Modi came to power the BJP has been playing caste and religion politics in Manipur. The ruling State government in Manipur is pro-BJP and they have been promoting the BJP's Hindutva politics.

What does that mean on the ground? There have been land grabs by the majority Meitis encroaching into Kuki areas. The state government has also tried to reduce "quotas" (government jobs, university entrance etc) which were reserved for the Kuki 'minority'. 

All this plus more has led to major grievances. Here is my prediction - this problem cannot be solved. Things are going to get worse. I blogged about the Kukis and Meities conflict about two years ago. It has only gotten worse since then.
 

Here is problem No. 2.  There is an illegal and illegitimate government in Bangladesh. They came to power last year through a military coup (the military forced Sheikh Hassina to leave the country in 45 minutes). The illegal government of Bangladesh is fully backed by Pakistan and by the Muslim Brotherhood. 

They have not "decided" when there will be free elections in Bangladesh. Or if there will be an election in Bangladesh at all. They will just "remain in power" as they please. The Nobel prize winner Mohamed Yunus reminds me of that other weasel, peace activist Aung San Syu Kyi in Myanmar. Such disappointments.

Anyway, stirring up trouble across the border in India (Manipur) will be exactly in the playbook of the Pakistanis.  Manipur is one state away from the Bangladesh border - through Mizoram which also has an anti-India insurgency.  It will not be difficult to transport weapons and materials across such a short distance into Manipur.

The video shows the Kuki insurgents carrying modern weapons. Weapons are expensive. Who pays for them? Where do they come from?

There is also China but China does not seem to have a policy of wanting to interfere militarily to destabilise India. The Chinese would rather sell Made In China rope to India and let them do whatever they want with it. 

Northeast India will heat up more.