Guwahati: The Independent People’s Tribunal on the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur has concluded that the violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities was not spontaneous but planned, ethnically targeted, and enabled by state failures.
The tribunal’s 694-page report was released in Delhi on Wednesday (August 20, 2025).
According to the jury, factors beyond historical divisions—such as ethnic fault lines, socio-political marginalisation, and land disputes—were responsible for the escalation.
A “systematic hate campaign” on digital platforms, along with provocative statements from political leaders in the lead-up to the unrest, deepened mistrust between the two communities.
The tribunal, set up by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in 2024, was chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph. Its members included retired High Court judges, ex-IAS and IPS officers, advocates, academics, journalists, writers, and human rights defenders.
One of the key triggers, the report noted, was the Manipur High Court’s March 27, 2023 directive recommending Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meiteis. Tribal groups, including Kuki-Zo and Nagas, saw this as a threat to their constitutional safeguards. The ruling sparked widespread protests in the hill districts on May 3, 2023, which turned violent in parts of the state and soon escalated into widespread ethnic clashes.
Another narrative that worsened tensions was the alleged link between Kukis and poppy cultivation, tied to then-Chief Minister Biren Singh’s “war on drugs” campaign, which the report said fueled propaganda against the community.
The jury also underscored the failures of both the state and Central governments in fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities. “The evidence laid before the tribunal exposes the systemic nature of the violence, the role of radical groups, the collapse of state institutions, and the grave humanitarian fallout,” it said. More than 60,000 internally displaced people remain in relief camps, with bleak prospects for rehabilitation.
The tribunal found that relief measures in the camps—ranging from healthcare to basic living conditions—were grossly inadequate. It also pointed to the role of the media in intensifying the conflict: while the print media was described as partisan and lacking investigative depth, digital and social platforms spread inflammatory, unverified content that further polarized communities.
The jury has recommended that Parliament, the judiciary, and civil society step in to uphold constitutional principles and ensure accountability.
It has also demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the violence, stressing that long-term peace in Manipur can only be achieved through structural reforms, community dialogue, legal action, and sustained moral leadership.