Churches and homes attacked and set ablaze in India violence

Dozens of churches and homes have been attacked, vandalised and set ablaze after violence erupted in India.

The violence broke out in the northeastern state of Manipur during a protest march on Wednesday.

Thousands of Christian tribal people were opposing a demand by the majority Hindu non-tribal group for the constitutionally defined status of a scheduled tribe, which can bring with it access to jobs and education.

Police responded to attacks on homes and churches late at night with several rounds of tear gas and rubber bullets.

The army, paramilitary forces and police have come out in large numbers to patrol the affected areas.

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The government has suspended the internet for five days.

A dawn-to-dusk curfew has been imposed in eight districts and a law enacted prohibiting four or more people from gathering in a public place.

Some 9,000 people from different communities have been evacuated to safety in military and government-run premises.

The worst violence took place in the state’s capital, Imphal, where mobs ran amok attacking tribal people, their homes and churches.

Several homes and shops of non-tribal people living in tribal-majority areas have also been attacked and burnt down.

Videos of these attacks have been posted on social media.

Tensions over demand for Scheduled Tribe status

Tensions have run high over tribal opposition to the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s support for a demand by the majority, non-tribal Meitei community for the status of a Scheduled Tribe (ST).

It would reserve jobs in government and education institutions for members of the majority group at the expense of the minority.

The tribal groups opposed the move and a students’ union, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), organised a rally on Wednesday attended by more than 50,000 people.

In retaliation, the Meiteis staged their own protests. Clashes then resulted in violence and arson.

Decades of disturbances

The remote state of Manipur has seen decades of disturbances in the form of insurgency, ethnic conflict and community tensions.

The hills account for almost 90% of the geographical area of the state and are mostly populated with tribal people from the Naga, Kuki and Mizo ethnic clans, who mainly follow Christianity.

While the valley is predominantly populated with Meitei, who are mainly Hindu and make up the majority – 53% – of the state’s population.

In a video, N Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, appealed to “one and all to cooperate with the government and security forces to maintain peace and harmony, as all of us have coexisted for centuries”.

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