Khamenlok clash

Khamenlok clash
Part of 2023–2024 Manipur violence
Date	12–14 June 2023
Location	Khamenlok valley, Kangpokpi district, Manipur, India 24°58′15″N 94°04′19″E
Parties
Meitei Volunteers Arambai Tenggol Meitei Leepun United National Liberation Front Kuki Village Volunteers Village Defence Volunteers
Number
3,000 Unknown
Casualties and losses
Official: 9 killed, 19 injured Unofficial: 200–300 killed, 400 injured Unofficial: 1 killed, 3 injured
Location of the Aigejang village in the Khamenlok valley, branching off from the Iril River valley on the left

The Khamenlok search operation on 12–14 June 2023, in the course of 2023–2024 Manipur violence between the Meitei and Kuki people, in the Khamenlok river valley, a branch valley of the Iril River valley, in the Saikul subdivision of Kangpokpi district. According to intelligence reports, the Manipur police received information that more than 3,000 Meitei militants, some armed with sophisticated weapons, launched an attack on the kuki villages in the Khamenlok and surrounding areas. Over a period of three days, the meiteis burned houses and rampaged through the area. While the kuki villagers escaped upon the arrival of the assailants, the Assam Rifles were blocked from reaching the area by Meitei women. Finally, on June 13, while the assailants were celebrating in a church building, the kuki village defense volunteers descended from hills and carried out a wholesale massacre of the meiteis mobs. The official death count was thirteen people, but unofficial estimates were in excess of 200 people.

Background

Manipur violence

The 2023-2024 Manipur violence broke out on 3 May 2023, soon after a protest rally held by the tribal communities of Manipur. Starting out as clashes between the Meitei and Kuki (tribal) communities of Manipur at the border between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, the ethnic violence soon spun out of control engulfing the whole state. All the Meiteis living in the hill districts dominated by Kukis fled their homes and the Kukis living in the Imphal Valley did likewise, causing widespread displacement of over 60,000 people lasting a whole year while the violence continued unabated. The Meitei community has developed organised militias such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, which looted state police armouries to gain advanced weaponry,and used it to wage war against the tribal districts inhabited by Kukis.The Kukis, who possess licensed guns due to their hunting occupation, attempted to organise "village defence volunteers", while the security forces created "buffer zones" to keep the two sides apart. Both the sides possessed insurgent groups, whose role in the violence remained unclear.

Khamenlok valley

The Kangpokpi District, which surrounds the northern Imphal Valley on three sides, is mainly inhabited by Kukis. The jurisdiction of the Valley districts (Imphal West and Imphal East) has been extended over the decades to include the river valleys that feed into Imphal, thus encroaching into the hill areas which otherwise belonged to the Kangpokpi district. These extensions are controversial, causing uncertain borders between the valley districts and Kangpokpi.

A portion of the Iril River valley (also called Saikul Valley) has been part of Imphal East since 1971, but the census map of 2001 shows it extending almost up to the border of the Saikul Town. The Khamenlok valley is a branch valley of the Saikul Valley that extending from a village called Uyumpok. Near the mouth of the valley is a Meitei village called Nongsum, and, next to it, a Tangkhul Naga village called Khongbal. These two are included in the Imphal East district. The remainder of the Khamenlok Valley has numerous Kuki villages, which are included in the Kangpokpi district. These are, in order, H. Khopibung, Khamenlok, Chullouphai, Aigejang, A. Leikot, A. Phainom, Thombol, T. Jordanphai, Songjang and Govajang.

Uyumpok is a large village with numerous sub-villages (total population: 2899), and to its north is Sagolmang (population: 967). Sagolmang has a police station, whose jurisdiction extends to the Khamenlok Valley, even though it is in a different revenue district. Thus, the Imphal East police were responsible for law and order in the area. They were also the main source of news for the media.

During the month of May 2023, the villagers of Nongsum complained of firing and intimidation by the Kuki villagers of Khamenlok. One village defence volunteer said that the villagers "will stay firm and take the fight to the Kuki militants".

Clashes

12 June

The Times of India reported that on Monday 12 June, by 10:45 am, armed assailants raided the Khopibung and Khamenlok areas, firing at the "group of civilians", and setting houses on fire. By the time Assam Rifles and Gorkha Rifles troops arrived at the village, the gunmen were said to have fled the area. The report said that three people were injured. Other news reported that clashes continued till late evening, and nine people were injured in total, receiving bullet wounds. The Imphal Free Press provided the information that, as soon as the news about the gun battle was circulated, "women folks" (Meira Paibis) in the Khurai Lamlong Keithel area (a suburb of Imphal City on the route to Khamenlok) blocked the roads, so that the (central) armed forces could not reach the area. Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) commandos, made up of Meitei personnel, are said to have reached the spot, however.

In contradition to the above report, the Imphal Free Press claimed, citing Sagolmang police, that "suspected Kuki militants" from Khopibung and Khamenlok villages were attacking the Nongsum village, and that the latter's "village volunteers" were defending themselves, despite admitting that the gunfight was taking place at the Khamenlok village. Two days later, it corrected itself by admitting that the Kuki villages were "already ... burnt down by village volunteers". This portrayal of "Kuki militants" and "(Meitei) village volunteers" was later criticised by the Indian Army, which said that the (Meitei) assailants were a "mob".

The chief of Khopibung also criticised the Imphal media reports stating that the Kuki villagers were "scattered" (fled from the villages into the hills) and he was having to spend great efforts into gathering them again. He also revealed that four Kuki village volunteers had received bullet injuries.

13–14 June

On 13 June, an estimated mob of 3,000 people went to attack the Khamenlok valley, some carrying sophisticated weapons. According to the Imphal Free Press, after a few hours of firing, the villages Khopibung, Khamenlok, Aigejang and Chullouphai were burnt down. However, the village chiefs of the area said that all villages in the valley sustained destruction. Meitei women's groups again blocked roads and blew up mobile towers, so that the armed forces could not reach the area and communications also became unavailable.

Late in the night, after 10 pm, while the Meitei mobs were resting, the Kuki volunteers descended from the hills and attacked the Meiteis. They were said to have come with guns, spears, daggers, cleavers and other traditional weapons. Early reports the next day said that eleven Meiteis were killed, and 23 Meiteis were injured. Later, the figures were revised down to nine killed and ten injured. In addition, five people were declared to be missing. In contrast to the official narrative, the Kuki village chiefs said "scores of well-armed Meiteis" were killed. The General Secretary of Kuki People's Alliance estimated that 200–300 Meiteis might have been killed, based on the number of weapons the Kukis recovered from the victims.

The nine people who were officially declared killed, came from villages in valley districts such as Leimakhong, Khurai, Pangei and Ningthemcha. They also included a 32-year-old woman. None of them were local to the valley The Hindu described the attack as a "retalitory strike by village guards", while the Imphal-based media continued to call them "Kuki militants" attacking "village volunteers".

According to the official narrative, the nine people were killed in a church building in the village of Aigejang. The victims claimed that they had gone to deliver food to the Meitei mobs, who were at other locations when the attack occurred.

References

Sources

• Imphal East District Census Handbook (PDF), Directorate of Census Operations, Manipur, 2011
• Senapati District Census Handbook (PDF), Directorate of Census Operations, Manipur, 2011
• Karan Thapar, William Hangshing (27 July 2023). Kuki Leader Who Once Backed Biren Manipur Govt Claims '200 Meiteis Killed' in Khamenlok, June 13/14. The Wire – via YouTube.