Ethnic conflict casts a shadow on Manipur polls; Kuki-Zo, Meitei people devise voting strategies

In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, most of the violence-affected parts of the State go to the polls. These include all of the Inner Manipur constituency having a largely Meitei population, and large parts of the Outer Manipur constituency (ST) covering Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Chandel with a majority Kuki-Zo population.

As Manipur heads into the first phase of the Lok Sabha election in the shadow of an ethnic conflict, the two communities involved in the conflict — the Kuki-Zo people and the Meitei people — find themselves in a peculiar situation.

In the first phase on April 19, most of the violence-affected parts of the State go to the polls. These include all of the Inner Manipur constituency, which covers Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, and Thoubal districts having a largely Meitei population, and large parts of the Outer Manipur constituency (ST) covering Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Chandel with a majority Kuki-Zo population.

The ethnic conflict that began on May 3 last year, has so far led to at least 220 deaths (according to official figures), and left thousands injured and displaced tens of thousands, for whom the Election Commission (EC) has arranged 94 special polling booths in relief camps in the State.

The hill districts going to the polls in the first phase had more of a mixed population till the conflict began. But the first few weeks of the violence succeeded in creating a near-complete geographical separation of the two communities.

Editorial | Dangerous status quo: On continuing hostilities in Manipur

Now, the Kuki-Zo community finds itself in between a rock and a hard place — over whether to express discontentment with the BJP by either boycotting the polls or voting None of the Above (NOTA) or to participate in the electoral process so as not to antagonise whichever government is formed at the Centre. This dilemma stems from the fact that only the Union government can meet the political demand of the Kuki-Zos for a separate administration, a demand that has grown stronger after the conflict, explained Chinkhanlun Guite of the Manipur Tribals Forum, Delhi.

In addition, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, which emerged as a civil society organisation representing the interests of multiple Kuki-Zo tribal associations during the conflict, has already issued a statement asking that no member of their community contest the upcoming election. But the ITLF has also made sure to stress in the statement that the Kuki-Zo people should go out and exercise their right to vote.