India Suspends Internet for Five Days in Manipur as Tensions Erupt Over Tribal Rights

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Server cable - Sputnik International, 1920, 07.08.2022
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Manipur is an insurgency-infested state which has witnessed decade-long violence over several issues, including some ethnic groups’ demand for autonomy.
The BJP-led government in India’s Manipur state clamped down on internet services on Sunday as communal tensions broke out over tribal rights.
Anger erupted after police fired tear gas, as well as smoke and mock bombs, to disperse huge tribal protests on Saturday, injuring at least 30 people. A van on the Imphal-Tiddim National Highway was also torched during mass protests across the state, in which at least 30 people, including policemen, were injured.
The protests were caused by the BJP-led government’s refusal to table the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2022, during the budget session of the assembly which was concluded on Friday.
Sectors of Manipur seek autonomy to expedite development works in the hilly region for “equal development.” Meanwhile, other sectors argue that the provisions of the bill are against “co-existence and equitable sharing,” and could lead to the “bifurcation” of the state.
Apart from the blocks on the internet, the government also imposed prohibitory orders in the hilly region, which means no more than four people can gather in any public place.
“The order is issued to prevent any further disturbances of the peace and public order in the state of Manipur, and shall be in force for next five days with immediate effect or till further orders,” the Home Department notification read. The Home Department believes that social media is being used to incite the general public.
Manipur has been plagued by violence for decades due to internal conflicts among different ethnic groups and tribes. The non-tribal Meiteis ethic group formed insurgent groups in the 1980s as it believed that tribal groups suppressed their language and culture.
Meiteis citizens constitute around half of the state population and dominate the state capital. The 30 other tribes are located in hilly areas and often complain about a lack of development works in their areas. There are also conflicts within tribal groups, such as between the Naga and Kuki tribes. In these conflicts, around 4,000 people have been killed in the state since 2020.
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