India's No.1 PU & Degree With Integrated IAS & IPS(UPSC/PSC) Training College.
MANIPUR ELECTIONS OVERSHADOWED BY ETHNIC TENSION; KUKI-ZO, MEITEI PLAN VOTING APPROACHES AMIDST CONFLICT.
Why in the news?
Ethnic conflict shapes Manipur’s polls as Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities strategize; violence, displacement prompt special polling arrangements.
source:IE
Understanding the Polling Dynamics:
- Manipur’s Lok Sabha election faces challenges amid an ongoing ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities.
- Violence-affected regions, including Inner and Outer Manipur, witness voting in the first phase on April 19.
- The conflict, which commenced last year, resulted in numerous casualties, injuries, and displacements, necessitating special polling arrangements for affected individuals.
| What is Manipur’s ethnic composition?
● Imphal Valley: Dominated by non-tribal Meitei, comprising 10% of Manipur’s landmass. ● Meitei population: More than 64%, yields 40 out of 60 MLAs. ● Hills: 90% of land, inhabited by 35% recognized tribes, mostly Christians. About “Kuki” ? ● Ethnic group of multiple tribes in Northeast India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. ● Term “Kuki” was used generically during colonial rule. ● Present in all Northeast Indian states except Arunachal Pradesh. ● Around 50 Kuki tribes in India are recognized as scheduled tribes. ● In Manipur, Kuki tribes constitute about 30% of the population, mainly residing in hills. ● History: Resisted British hegemony in Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19. ● Have customary laws, village councils; “LAL” denotes village chief. |
Source:
