Relevance: GS II (Polity & Governance) & GS III (Internal Security) | Source: The Hindu

1. The Current Situation (What is happening now?)

The ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 is still burning. Recently, in April 2026, the tragic deaths of two children in a bomb attack shattered a fragile peace, leading to massive protests, curfews, and internet bans.

• The Human Cost: Official data reveals a heartbreaking reality—over 200 lives lost and nearly 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are currently living in relief camps with destroyed homes.

2. The Root Causes (Understanding the Divide)

To understand the crisis, administrators look at Manipur’s geography, which resembles a football stadium:

• The Valley (10% of land): The central plain area is home to the majority Meitei community. However, historical laws prevent them from buying land in the surrounding hills.
• The Hills (90% of land): The surrounding hills are home to tribal communities (mainly Kuki-Zo and Nagas), who enjoy special constitutional protections as Scheduled Tribes (ST).
• The Spark: In 2023, a High Court order suggested giving ST status to the Meiteis. The tribal communities violently protested, fearing this would allow the majority Meiteis to buy up protected hill lands and take away ST job reservations.
• Underlying Anger: Tensions were already high due to strict government eviction drives in forests, crackdowns on illegal poppy (drug) cultivation, and a massive influx of illegal refugees crossing the border from coup-hit Myanmar.

3. Major Internal Security Challenges

The conflict has now become a major national security threat for India:

• Divided State: The state is practically broken into heavily guarded “buffer zones” separating the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities.
• Looted Weapons: During the riots, civilians looted thousands of advanced guns from state police stations. Many are still unrecovered, turning ordinary citizens into dangerous, armed militias.
• Porous Borders: The 398-km open border with Myanmar allows drugs and foreign militants to enter easily. (To stop this, the Central Government recently canceled the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar).
• Loss of Trust in Police: The local police are often viewed as biased by the fighting communities. This complete loss of institutional trust forces the state to rely heavily on the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Army to maintain basic law and order.

4. The Administrative Way Forward

Military force can only enforce a temporary ceasefire. To restore true peace, the administration must:

• Complete Disarmament: The absolute first step is the immediate, strict recovery of all looted police weapons from both sides.
• Truth and Reconciliation: The government must bring neutral civil society leaders, women’s groups, and religious heads to the same table to restart human dialogue and rebuild broken trust.
• Equitable Development: The government must ensure balanced roads, schools, and economic development in both the Imphal Valley and the Hill districts so that no community feels economically insecure or left behind.

The “UPSC Trap” 

• The “Article 371” Trap: UPSC frequently tries to confuse you regarding the special provisions for Northeastern states. An exam statement might claim, “Article 371A of the Indian Constitution provides for the creation of a Hill Areas Committee to protect tribal interests in Manipur.” Incorrect. Article 371A is strictly for Nagaland. It is Article 371C that specifically deals with Manipur.
• The “Demography” Trap: An exam statement might say, “The Kuki-Zo tribal communities predominantly inhabit the Imphal Valley.” Incorrect. The Imphal Valley is inhabited by the Meitei community. The tribal Kuki-Zo and Nagas live in the surrounding Hills.

UPSC Value Box

Key Concept / Geography	Simple Meaning
Article 371C	Special constitutional provision for Manipur. It mandates the creation of a Hill Areas Committee (made of MLAs from hill districts) to protect tribal governance.
Lokur Committee (1965)	The fundamental government committee that laid down the official criteria for defining a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in India (e.g., geographical isolation, distinct culture).
Loktak Lake	Located in the Imphal Valley, it is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India. It houses the world’s only floating national park (Keibul Lamjao), home to the endangered Sangai deer.

With reference to the geography and constitutional provisions related to Northeast India, consider the following statements:

1. Article 371C of the Constitution provides for the creation of a Hill Areas Committee in the Legislative Assembly of Manipur.
2. The Lokur Committee is primarily associated with laying down the criteria for defining Scheduled Tribes (ST) in India.
3. Keibul Lamjao National Park, famous for its floating vegetation (phumdis) and the endangered Sangai deer, is located in the hill districts of Manipur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (a)