The ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur has taken a severe turn as Kuki militants demand the release of a community member arrested on secessionism charges, offering the release of two Meitei youths held hostage in exchange. The situation, confirmed by state and security officials on Sunday, threatens to push the region, already grappling with ethnic violence, into a fresh crisis.
According to a senior official from the security establishment, the militants have made multiple demands, with two being key: the release of Mark T Haokip, currently held by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the transfer of 15 Kuki prisoners from Imphal’s Sajiwa jail to Churachandpur. “The militants have stressed these two demands, linking them to the safe release of the hostages,” the official disclosed, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Hostage Video Increases Pressure on Government
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has convened emergency meetings with security officials and political leaders to address the hostage crisis. The pressure mounted after a video surfaced on social media showing the two Meitei men pleading for their lives, urging the government to comply with the militants’ demands. However, the CM’s office has yet to confirm specific details of the demands.
As negotiations proceed, security forces such as the Assam Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are acting as intermediaries between the state administration and Kuki groups. “The location of the hostages remains unclear,” said the official, adding that Kuki civil society organizations (CSOs) are facilitating indirect communication with the militants. “CSOs claim not to know the exact location, but they are willing to serve as human couriers to relay messages,” the official explained.
Conflicting Views on Militants’ Role
Lelena, a member of a Kuki civil society group, disputed the portrayal of those holding the hostages as militants, referring to them instead as village defense volunteers. “These are our village volunteers defending their land, not militants,” she said. “We are communicating with security forces to ensure that their demands are met, leading to the release of the two Meitei men. The volunteers already released one of the men on Friday.”
The abduction marks the latest flashpoint in the Kuki-Meitei conflict, which has polarized the state along ethnic lines. The Kuki-Zo tribes, who dominate the hill districts, and the Meiteis, a majority in the valley, have seen their territories divided into two zones. Village defense volunteers now serve as the front line between the two communities, separated by a fragile buffer zone.
Ethnic Strife Worsens Since May Clashes
Manipur has been on edge since ethnic clashes erupted on May 3, 2023, leading to widespread violence that has claimed over 230 lives and displaced thousands. The current crisis threatens to unravel the fragile peace that had been holding between the two communities, who have mostly remained within their own strongholds.
The video of the two missing men has sparked public outrage, with the captives making a desperate plea to the state government. “As Meiteis, if ‘Pabung’ (father) Biren considers us your sons, please save our lives and fulfil the demands of our brothers,” one of the hostages said in the video. Chief Minister Singh responded on social media, condemning the act and affirming that the government is “working to secure the safe release of the victims.”
Arrest and Background of Mark T Haokip
The Kuki militants’ demand to release Mark T Haokip has added complexity to the negotiations. Haokip was arrested by Manipur Police in New Delhi in May 2022 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He is accused of conspiring to secede from India and attempting to wage war against the central government through the formation of a rebel group known as the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Kukiland.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that the state government is considering the demand to release Haokip, though the decision remains fraught with political and security implications. The abduction of the Meitei youths has heightened tensions and raised concerns about the potential for renewed violence if a peaceful resolution is not reached soon.
The Incident Leading to the Abduction
The abduction occurred on Friday when three Meitei youths from a remote village in Thoubal district mistakenly entered Kuki-dominated territory. One of the youths, Ningombam Johnson Singh, was en route to take his recruitment exam for the paramilitary forces. He was accompanied by his friends Oinam Thoithoi and Thokchom Thoithoiba, unaware that their destination, Keithelmanbi, was in a volatile zone controlled by Kuki forces.
“They crossed into Kangpokpi, which is a buffer zone, without being stopped,” a second official said. “They were later halted by Kuki civilians, who routinely check vehicles entering the hill districts.” While one of the men was released, the other two were taken hostage.
As of Sunday night, security forces had yet to mount a rescue operation. Senior officers from both the CRPF and Assam Rifles remain in contact with the chief minister’s office, strategizing how best to secure the release of the hostages without escalating the already volatile situation.
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