Manipur conflict a ‘law and order problem’, says Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram

Sub: Polity

Sec: Federalism

Context:

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said on Wednesday the ethnic conflict raging in Manipur for more than a year now is a “law and order situation” that is being dealt with by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

More on news:

This is the first time a Union Tribal Affairs Minister has spoken about the conflict between the valley-based Meitei people and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo that has killed over 220 people.
The ethnic conflict in Manipur recently flared up after a spate of violence escalated tensions in Jiribam, a district known to have maintained relative peace throughout last year.
The country’s first Tribal Affairs Minister after the Ministry was created in 1999, also held the portfolio between 2014 and 2019 in the first Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet.
“Police’ and ‘Public order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including crime against women are with the respective State Governments.

About Manipur Conflict:

The conflict in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, after a State-wide protest march was held by all tribal communities, including Naga tribes, of the State against an order of the Manipur High Court that directed the State government to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.
The process of inclusion of communities in the ST list requires any recommendation to originate from the concerned State government but the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry takes the process forward – coordinating with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the Office of the Registrar General of India – before bringing it before the Cabinet.

Communities in news:

Kukis:

The Kuki people are an ethnic group in the Northeastern Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, as well as the neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The Kukis form one of the largest hill tribe communities in this region.

Meities:

The Meitei people, Meetei, Manipuri people are an ethnic group native to Manipur.
They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India.
They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic and the sole official language of the Government of Manipur.