Manipur made headlines for much of 2023 as it witnessed one of the worst ethnic conflicts between the Kuki and Meitei communities, resulting in over 200 deaths and leaving nearly 60,000 people homeless.
Though violence broke out on May 3, tension had been building in the hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi since February due to the state government’s efforts to remove encroachers from reserved forest areas.
In late February, the state government demolished few Kuki houses in Churachandpur district for encroaching on reserved forest land, triggering condemnation by Kuki-Zo community members.
Clashes broke out between demonstrators and police in Kangpokpi district in March when they tried to hold a rally against “encroachment of tribal land in the name of reserved forests, protected forests and wildlife sanctuary.
Following the clashes, the state cabinet withdrew from the tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) talks with two Kuki-based outfits Kuki National Army and Zom
