IMPHAL – Security forces in Manipur fired tear gas and mock bombs to disperse hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who attempted to march to their abandoned homes Saturday, injuring at least seven people in the latest protest highlighting the unresolved ethnic crisis . The clashes in Imphal East district occurred as IDPs, frustrated by government inaction and the ongoing Sangai Festival, demanded safe return to villages they fled over two years ago following violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities . Despite the imposition of President's Rule in February 2025, over 50,000 people remain displaced, living in relief camps with no clear roadmap for rehabilitation .

From Sit-In to Showdown: Protests Escalate Amid Festival

The weekend violence culminated a week of escalating demonstrations. Protests began as a sit-in at Kangla Western Gate in Imphal before swelling into a massive rally . Hundreds of IDPs from camps in Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal East, and Imphal West marched through the city, shouting slogans like "we should be allowed to return home" and condemning the government's prioritization of the Sangai Festival .

Protesters directly linked their action to the state's flagship cultural event, which began Nov. 21. They argue the festival projects a false image of normalcy while they suffer in camps . "Peace has not returned to Manipur, yet the government wants to portray that everything is normal; this is not true," said Irom Abu Meitei, an IDP from Churachandpur . The lukewarm public response to the festival and boycott calls from civil society groups underscore widespread resentment .

A Deepening Humanitarian Crisis in Relief Camps

For the over 50,000 IDPs, life in relief camps is marked by desperation and inhumane conditions. Amnesty International reports outbreaks of measles, dysentery, and fever in camps with poor sanitation and inadequate healthcare . One community worker described "more than 100 families using two to three makeshift toilets" and food of poor quality .

Many displaced have chronic illnesses like cancer and tuberculosis but cannot access proper treatment . A senior police officer at the protest expressed concern the crowd might march toward the governor's home, reflecting the depth of the IDPs' despair . With the year ending and no progress, frustration has reached a boiling point .

Roots of the Conflict: A State Divided

The current displacement stems from ethnic violence that erupted May 3, 2023, between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community, based in the Imphal Valley, and the Christian Kuki-Zo tribal community from the surrounding hills . The violence was triggered by a Manipur High Court order considering Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community, which the Kuki-Zo argued would threaten their land rights and political representation .

Underlying tensions included state government policies perceived as targeting Kuki communities, such as eviction drives framed as anti-drug operations, and anxieties over refugee influx from Myanmar . The conflict has claimed at least 258 lives, seen over 4,700 houses burned, and displaced 60,000 people . A deep-seated geographical and ethnic divide now prevents either community from safely entering the other's areas .

Security Response and the Path Forward

The government security posture has focused on containment. In recent clashes, forces deployed barbed-wire barricades, tear gas, and mock bombs to prevent IDPs from entering sensitive periphery villages bordering Kuki-Zo majority districts . Authorities fear such movements could destabilize the fragile peace along inter-district borders .

The Kuki-Zo Council has expressed concern that protests and attempts by Meitei IDPs to cross into their areas are heightening tensions . The central government has yet to implement a comprehensive, time-bound rehabilitation plan . Amnesty International and local rights defenders emphasize that without security guarantees, accountability for rights violations, and material support for rebuilding, safe return remains impossible .