Manipur’s ongoing ethnic conflicts and its impact on Moreh

 Keywords: Manipur, Ethnic Conflict, Moreh, Border Town, Border Trade, Border Economy

Date: 06 December, 2023

The town of Moreh in Manipur along India-Myanmar border is emerging as a significant locus of ethnic strife, propelled by a multifaceted interplay of historical, cultural, economic, and political factors. Moreh’s central role in these tensions and its ramifications offer some valuable insights into the complexities of the ethnic conflicts in Manipur. 

Besides being an international border town with huge commercial relevance, Moreh serves as a ‘melting pot’ for various communities, giving it a multicultural look with a heterogeneous population of Meiteis, Meitei-Pangals, Nagas, Tamils, Kukis, Marwaris, Bengalis, and several other ethnic groups.

Its location has made Moreh a bustling commercial hub (trading point), drawing people from different places. From Sora village in the adjoining Kakching district to Singjamei Municipality in Imphal West district, small and big traders ply to and fro along the highway to Moreh for day-to-day survival. 

Goods, mainly Chinese and Thai products–––from plastic utilities and electronic gadgets to stylish clothing and eatables found in crowded Imphal city-centre markets–––enter through the border point in Moreh via the eastern neighbouring country. Moreh has become a brand in the psyche of Manipuris across the state for its cheaper, attractive and flashy products in all shapes and varieties. 

The border town has been a tourist hotspot, attracting thousands of local and non-local tourists every year. The introduction of Imphal-Mandalay bus services and commercial flights a few years ago, saw tourist footprints visiting Moreh rose until the pandemic hit. The ongoing ethnic conflict has further hindered the recovery. 

Moreh’s commercial value cannot be underrated while assessing its emergence as the epicentre of the ongoing ethnic conflicts. In the past two decades, many entrepreneurs have chosen Moreh as their business hub and developed residential condos, anticipating the border town’s role in meeting the needs of the increasing number of tourists and travellers. 

Entrepreneurs from the Meitei and Kuki ethnic groups have made significant investments. This has jacked up land prices along the national highway leading to Moreh in the outskirts of Imphal city and the adjoining districts such as Thoubal and Kakching in the last two decades. The massive expansion and development of the Imphal-Moreh national highway has been in anticipation of business investments and growth prospects in Moreh. 

One of the core causes of Manipur’s ethnic conflict is rivalry over land. The Moreh region, along with its surrounding hill terrains, is inhabited by a significant population of the Kuki tribe. Over the past three decades, there has been a notable increase in the geographical spread of Kuki tribal groups, particularly in the Chandel area and, more recently, in the Tengnoupal district.

The Kuki community is perceived as strategically capturing the now troubled commercial centre of Moreh as a move to regain lost territory in the valley areas, particularly in Imphal as a consequence of the ongoing ethnic conflict. 

This apparently has been causing anger among various communities, particularly the Meitei people, because of Moreh’s commercial and strategic benefits compared to other urban areas. The emergence of Moreh as the new focus of ethnic tensions is a pursuit of a sphere of influence, if not supremacy, over a significant resource. 

The state government’s decision to deploy the Manipur Police special forces, supposedly to avoid the seizure of a strategically important town at the international border, is widely seen as a timely action in Imphal and other areas. 

The protracted conflict has significantly impacted the overall economy of Manipur, but more specifically the border trade town of Moreh with long-term implications. Implementing critical initiatives aligned with India’s Act East Policy such as the IMT-Trilateral Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway, vital for enhancing connectivity with Southeast Asia, may experience further delays. 

The conflict would discourage future investments and trade possibilities. Furthermore, the exodus of several communities from Moreh will have a significant impact on the border economy and trade dynamics, which have traditionally been dependent on a diverse ethnic population.  

Moreh exemplifies the complex dynamics of historical, cultural, and economic factors contributing to the escalation of ethnic conflicts in Manipur. It is imperative that the fundamental factors contributing to the conflict are addressed and this is possible only by cultivating a socio-economic environment based on inclusivity and equity.

Md. Farijuddin Khan is Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, Dhanamanjuri University, Manipur.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above and the information available  are those of the author/s and can therefore in no way be taken to reflect the position of Asian Confluence