Manipur is witnessing a fresh spell of violence after a brief lull. On Sunday, an attack took place near the border between Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts with shots fired from nearby hills. Imphal West is dominated by Meiteis and Kangpokpi by Kukis. On Monday, three more gunfights were reported by the media. Also, for the first time, militants used drones to drop explosives, a first-of-its-kind bombing in the restive border state. This shows that the lull in clashes over the past three months was temporary and not a portent of soothing tempers, and that local authorities have done little to bridge the underlying faultlines that first sparked violence in May 2023.
The state government has done little to try to resolve the conflict. Chief Minister Biren Singh continues to live in denial mode. Even though he failed to put an end to this long-running ethnic conflict, the BJP continues to back him. The central government also on its part has not done anything substantial to reduce the tension in the state. Sadly, the people of the state are suffering due to the failure of the state as well as the central government to find a long-term solution to the Kuki-Meitei conflict raging in Manipur.