Manipur crisis : Humanitarian tragedy must not be normalised

THE restoration of peace and normalcy in Manipur continues to be a Herculean task. As per details disclosed under the Right to Information Act, at least 730 internally displaced people have died in the northeastern state’s relief camps since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023. The high death toll is a damning indictment of the BJP-led Central and state governments. Tens of thousands of families have been uprooted by the conflict; they face an uncertain future as rehabilitation is nowhere in sight. Unfortunately, the humanitarian crisis has received scant national attention. More than 43,000 people are living in temporary shelters and relief camps, many without proper healthcare, sanitation or psychological support. The fact that camp residents are dying not only from illness but also from unnatural causes — including drowning, electrocution, substance abuse and violence — shows that the living conditions are both unsafe and sub-human.

Four months after the reinstatement of an elected government, there is no let-up in the attacks and ethnic hostility despite repeated assurances from the authorities. Three persons were killed after armed assailants attacked a village in Kangpokpi district on Friday. Six Naga civilians, who were allegedly abducted by Kuki militants on May 13, are still in captivity. Local residents continue to live in fear, while armed groups are exploiting administrative paralysis and deepening mistrust between communities.

Manipur’s tragedy is far more than a collapse of law and order; it is an utter failure of governance and reconciliation. Relief camps were meant to be temporary sanctuaries, not semi-permanent settlements where displaced citizens spend years without hope of returning home. The longer displacement continues, the greater the risk of generational trauma, radicalisation and irreversible social fragmentation. The “double-engine” government must pay heed to the warning implicit in the RTI reply: prolonged neglect can turn a political conflict into a long-term humanitarian catastrophe. India as a whole must not allow this to happen.