In a region already fraught with tension, the state of Manipur witnessed a surge of unrest this weekend, as the Kuki-Zo community intensified its demand for a separate administration. Protests erupted across key districts following the release of a controversial audio clip, purportedly featuring certain offensive statements by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, which has deepened mistrust between communities. The situation escalated when the day following the mass protest, an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, allegedly involving Kuki militants using drones to deploy explosives, resulted in two deaths and several injuries. As the state grapples with deepening divisions and rising violence, calls for decisive intervention grow louder.
Protests Erupt in Manipur as Kuki-Zo Community Demands Separate Administration:
On Saturday, August 31, large-scale protests erupted across Manipur’s Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts as members of the Kuki-Zo community took to the streets demanding a separate administration. These rallies, which also spread to other regions, were organized in response to what the Kuki-Zo community described as “genocide and ethnic cleansing,” reinforcing their call for autonomy through a separate administration.
The protests were particularly intense in areas like Leishang (Churachandpur), Keithelmanbi (Kangpokpi), and Moreh (Tengnoupal). In Churachandpur, the protest began at the Anglo-Kuki War Gate and proceeded to Peace Ground in Tuibong, covering about 6 km. The rally led to the closure of markets and schools, and government offices saw notably low attendance despite the state government’s appeal for institutions to remain open. In Kangpokpi district, hundreds of protesters marched from Keithelmanbi Military Colony to Thomas Ground at the district headquarters, covering approximately 8 km.
A cease-work strike in Manipur’s valley districts, organized in response to these rallies, brought daily life to a standstill, affecting businesses, schools, and institutions across the region. Despite an appeal by the government for shops and businesses to remain open, many establishments remained closed in areas where the rallies took place. Protesters carried banners and placards condemning the leaked tapes and calling for a separate administration, with slogans such as “Leaked Tapes: Ethnic Cleansing Exposed, Save Us from Manipur” and “Separate Administration the Only Solution.” Although the strike significantly disrupted these areas, it remained largely peaceful.
Kuki-Zo organizations also held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where they reiterated their demand for a separate administration and submitted memoranda to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These memoranda highlighted the community’s grievances and urged the Prime Minister’s Office to address the situation in Manipur urgently.
What Ignited the Protests? Details of the Leaked Audio Clip:
The protests were sparked by viral audio clips, allegedly featuring Chief Minister N. Biren Singh making inflammatory comments related to the ongoing conflict in Manipur. The Manipur government dismissed these audio clips as “doctored” and announced that a state police investigation is underway. Despite the government’s denial, the audio has fuelled unrest and strengthened the Kuki-Zo community’s demands.
The leaked audio clips gained significant attention after being reported by The Wire in a three-part series earlier in August. The 48-minute recording, purportedly made during a meeting with Chief Minister Singh, allegedly reveals his “partisan complicity” in the ongoing violence. As per the report of The Wire, the voice said to be of the chief minister can be heard making light of the crime against the two Kuki women, who had been paraded naked and had survived sexual violence, and berating Meitei civil society groups for not coming out and “asserting boldly, with pride” that “it is we, the Meiteis who saved them from the mob”. “How badly we were shamed! We should have taken credit for saving them, clothing them and sending them home,” the recording captured the speaker as saying.
The controversy surrounding these leaked tapes has further escalated tensions in Manipur, deepening the community’s distrust in the state government and its leadership. While it is essential to note that The Wire has not independently verified the authenticity of the voice in the recording, it has confirmed the date, subject, and contents of the meeting with some participants, who assert that the voice is indeed that of the chief minister.
The recordings have been submitted to the Ajai Lamba-headed Commission of Inquiry probing the ethnic violence in the state.
The Kuki-Zo organizations submitted several memoranda to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has not visited Manipur since the ethnic conflict began on May 3, 2023. The memoranda highlighted the “implications” of the leaked audio tapes and urged the Prime Minister’s Office to address the “severity of the situation” concerning the targeting of the Kuki-Zo community in the conflict.
The memoranda submitted by the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) in Kangpokpi demanded action against the chief minister, the strengthening of buffer zones with Assam Rifles, and an immediate political solution under Article 239A. In Churachandpur, seven student organizations, including the KSO, also highlighted the issue of the leaked audio tapes, stating that the “recent disclosure of confidential audio recordings” attributed to the chief minister had caused significant unrest and prompted urgent calls for remedial action within the state.
The memoranda stressed that the leaked recordings, as reported by The Wire, included controversial and incendiary remarks allegedly made by Chief Minister Singh. These remarks included statements concerning women who had suffered sexual assault and references to the deployment of explosive devices during his conversation with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the context of the ongoing unrest. The recordings have sparked fears of escalating violence and jeopardized public safety.
Given the protracted crisis and the leaked tapes’ ramifications, the Kuki-Zo community reiterated their call for the imposition of President’s Rule and the establishment of an autonomous administration, urging a decisive and sensitive approach to restore public trust and peace. The audio clips have been in the spotlight since The Wire published a three-part report earlier in August, where the recording’s creators claimed it was made during an in-person meeting in which the chief minister allegedly expressed his partisan complicity in the ongoing violence.
The BJP-led Manipur government dismissed the audio tapes as “doctored,” claiming that the recordings were being circulated to undermine ongoing efforts to restore peace in the state.
Sunday’s Violence in Manipur: Details of the Attack and Government Response
On Sunday, September 1, just a day after rallies by the Kuki-Zo communities were taken out in protest against the current Manipur government, violence erupted in Manipur’s Koutruk area, located in Imphal West district, This outbreak of violence, which marks another significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, resulted in the deaths of two people and injuries to ten others, including two police officers and a television reporter.
According to the Manipur police, the attack in Koutruk was unprecedented, involving alleged Kuki militants who used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) deployed via high-tech drones. A senior police officer estimated that seven such explosives were used against the village. The police described this use of drones for deploying explosives against both security forces and civilians as a notable escalation, suggesting the involvement of highly trained professionals with technical expertise.
“In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) using high-tech drones,” said an official statement by the Manipur police, as per the Telegraph.
“While drone bombs have commonly been used in general warfares, this recent deployment of drones to deploy explosives against security forces and civilians marks a significant escalation. The involvement of highly trained professionals, possibly with technical expertise and support, cannot be ruled out,” said an official statement by the Manipur police.
On Sunday, militants attacked Koutruk and neighbouring Kadangband, using both gunfire and bombs. The attack resulted in widespread panic, forcing many residents, including women, children, and the elderly, to seek refuge in safer areas. Of the nine injured, five sustained bullet wounds, while the rest suffered from splinter injuries due to bomb explosions. The body of Ngangbam Surbala Devi, the deceased woman, has been sent to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for a post-mortem examination. The identity of the other deceased individual is still being verified.
The deceased were identified as 35-year-old Ngangbam Surbala, who was shot in the head, and her 11-year-old daughter, who sustained a bullet wound to her right arm. The firing began around 2:00 pm and continued until approximately 7:30 pm, with the situation remaining tense into the night. Locals reported that houses in Koutruk were set ablaze and many villagers were evacuated to safer locations.
Koutruk, a Meitei-majority village in Imphal West district near the Kuki-Zomi-majority Kangpokpi district, has been one of the worst-affected areas in the ongoing conflict. On Sunday evening, Manipur’s Director General of Police, Rajiv Singh, instructed district Superintendents of Police to be on high alert and to ensure vigilance along all fringe areas. He also emphasized the need for coordination between different security forces and the conduct of joint combing operations.
The Home Department of the Manipur government condemned the violence, labelling it an “act of terrorizing unarmed villagers.” The statement criticized the violence as an attempt to undermine the state’s efforts to restore peace. The government of Manipur has vowed immediate action to control the situation and to hold accountable those responsible for the attack on Koutruk village.
The flare-up of violence comes after several months of relative calm along the borders of Meitei and Kuki-Zomi-majority districts, which have been hotspots of violence since May 2023. The last significant incident of violence had taken place in June, when a beheaded body of a Meitei farmer was found on June 6, and the state had once again come under the grip of violence with 70 houses, police outposts and a forest office burned, leaving at least 2000 displaced. (Details can be read here.)
In response to the present turmoil, security forces, including both state and central units, have been deployed to stabilize the situation. The state government has strongly condemned the attack and reiterated its commitment to restoring peace.
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