In 1992, violent clashes broke out between two tribal groups, the Nagas, and the Kukis, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. The clashes affected all five hill districts in the state - Chandel, Churachandpur, Senapati, Tameglong, and Ukhrul districts. Of these five, Chandel was the most troubled and affected district. Though it was popularly known as the Kuki-Naga clash, many other tribes of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo group were also affected.^[1]

The clashes lasted almost seven years until 1999. It claimed about 2,000 lives, and many were also maimed for the rest of their lives. Over 500 villages were attacked, and about 7,000 houses were burnt to ashes. It also led to the displacement of about 15,000 families and more than 100,000 people.^[1]

Historical background

The Kukis and Nagas are distinct ethnic groups with unique cultural identities and historical backgrounds. The Kuki people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group primarily residing in the hills' areas of northeastern Indian states (except Arunachal Pradesh, Myanmar (Burma), and Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Naga people are indigenous to the Nagaland region and parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam. Both communities have a history of inhabiting the same region, sometimes leading to territorial disputes and power struggles.

The conflict between the Kuki and Naga communities can be traced back to the colonial era when British colonial administrators drew arbitrary boundaries and recognized certain territories as exclusive to particular tribes. The conflict has its roots in historical grievances, competing territorial claims, and clashes over sociopolitical issues, leading to violence and tensions between the two groups.

Emergence of conflict

Amongst the contemporary factors, the Nagas' demand for a sovereign Nagaland around the 1960's and including in it the Naga inhabited areas contiguous to Naga Hills is considered to have started the tension between the Kuki and Naga ethnic groups.

The late eighties and early nineties saw a new development in the activities of insurgent groups in Manipur. Till then, dominated by Naga groups (NSCN-IM and NSCN-K), the profile of underground groups began to change. The Kukis were fearful that their identity would be completely submerged were the Nagas to gain in their struggle with the Indian State, they began to form their own insurgent groups. These included the Kuki National Front (KNF), the Kuki National Army (KNA), the Kuki independent Army (KIA) and the Kuki Defence Force (KDF). Kuki groups also began to raise a demand for a homeland of their own 'Kuki', similar to the demand of Bodo groups in Assam for Bodoland.^[2]

In a resolution passed during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Naga Council (UNC) in October 1992, the Nagas stated that the Kukis were nomads, and due to their nomadic existence, they depended on the Nagas who were the real land owners.^[1] They believe that the Kukis have encroached upon Naga areas, and much of the land inhabited by the Kukis is claimed as a part of the "Greater Nagalim." The Naga insurgents consider the continued residence of Kukis in these areas as the prime obstacle to realizing their concept of Nagalim. The Nagas also alleged the following:

• the KNA has operated against the innocent Naga villages at full connivance of the paramilitary forces and civil authorities
• the Kukis are demanding a Greater Kukiland comprising Churachandpur district, some areas of Ukhrul district, and Kuki inhabited areas of Myanmar
• the Kukis are demanding their own revenue district with parts of Ukhrul, Senapati, and Tamenglong districts
• the Kukis are inviting the Kuki refugees from Myanmar

On the other hand, the Kukis claim that the areas in which they are residing are their ancestral land, and they had opened it for Zeliangrong Nagas to settle in return for taxes and tributes after they were driven out by the Sukte Poi and Lusei people of Chin Hills and present-day Mizoram.^[3] The Kukis further alleged that the atrocities from the NSCN led movement such as the imposition of taxes, forced eviction from their villages, and the inability of the State Government to protect them are the main causes of the conflict.

Violence

The border town of Moreh is generally seen as the site from where the Kuki-Naga clashes began in 1992 and led to reprisals and counter-reprisals in other parts of Manipur. Until this time, Moreh had been controlled by the NSCN-IM, for whom it was also a lucrative source of 'taxes' levied on commercial institutions and residential dwellings that the group collected to use for their activities. Therefore, The Kuki groups began to oppose the Naga's attempts to collect taxes and levy their (Kuki's) own taxes, and some of this opposition took a violent turn. The violence, once it started, spiraled dangerously out of control, moving from Moreh into the heart of Manipur, with both tribes attacking each other and carrying out a process that can only be described as ethnic cleansing that was accompanied by horrific violence.^[2]

The Kuki-Naga conflict has witnessed several instances of violence, including armed clashes, attacks on villages, and targeted killings. Both sides have accused each other of human rights violations, leading to a cycle of retaliatory violence and counter-violence. The conflict has also taken a toll on civilian lives, with numerous casualties reported over the years.

Attempts at resolution

Over the years, several attempts have been made by the government and civil society organizations to address the conflict and reconcile the Kuki and Naga communities. Peace talks, dialogues, and confidence-building measures have been initiated at various times to resolve the dispute peacefully. The multiple factors that have led to the conflict, and the resultant clashes, are still very much there at present. Different views over the exclusive rights of land ownership continue to be a problem.

There was a clash as late as September 3, 2007, between the NSCN-IM and the Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), which led to the killing of at least 12 KLA cadres. In retaliation, on September 8, 2007, five NSCN-IM militants were shot dead by suspected KLA cadres between Jotsoma and Khonoma in the Kohima district of Nagaland.^[4]

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