At least 54 people are reported to have been killed and about 23,000 displaced, according to military officials.
On Sunday, the army said it had “significantly improved” its surveillance in violence-affected areas, including the Imphal Valley, through aerial assets such as drones and the deployment of military helicopters.
Unrest in Manipur state erupted on Wednesday after a protest march organized by the Kuki tribal group led to clashes with the non-tribal Meitei group, causing widespread damage to vehicles and property.
Authorities on Thursday issued “shoot-on-sight” orders and called in military reinforcements to quell violence that opened a new rift in the state with a checkered history of communal violence. The internet connection was cut after violence broke out on Wednesday and curfews were imposed in nine of the 16 districts.
On Sunday, the army said there was no new “major violence” overnight and curfew between 07:00 and 10:00 (02:00 and 05:00 GMT) was lifted in Churachandpur district, one of the main hot spots.
Authorities have not released an official death toll, but hospital morgues in the capital Imphal and in Churachandpur had reported a total of 54 dead, according to local media.
Who are the rival parties?
Meitei Community: Based in the state capital of Imphal, the dominant largely Hindu community makes up more than 60 percent of the state’s population of 3.5 million, according to India’s latest 2011 census.
Although the Meiteis are mainly stationed in the plains, they are also present in the hills.
The Naga and Kuki tribes: The two predominantly Christian tribes make up about 40 percent of the state’s population and enjoy “Scheduled Tribe” status, granting them land tenure rights in the hills and forests. They are the main tribes living in the hills.
Other tribal groups, including the Mizo, also make up the diverse ethnic makeup of the state, which borders Myanmar.
What is a “planned tribe”?
Constitutionally recognized, this official designation gives certain protections to tribes and communities.
“It is positive action to ensure that marginalized communities are represented and gives them reservations and quotas in educational institutions and government jobs,” said Arunabh Saikia, a journalist who has covered the region.
“The Meiteis claim they are marginalized compared to the other mainstream communities,” he said.
How did violent confrontations begin?
Violence broke out in the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district of the state, where members of the Kuki tribe protested against the Meitei community’s demands to be designated as a “Scheduled Tribe”.
“The tribes believe that granting Meiteis status to the Meiteis would be a violation of their rights as they claim to be the marginalized part of the population, not the Meiteis,” Saikia told Al Jazeera.
Why are the tribes protesting?
According to Saikia, the tribes believe that the Meiteis are already a dominant community and “run the strings of state politics” and therefore should not receive affirmative action.
“They see it [Scheduled Tribe status] while the Meiteis eat their pie,” he said.
He explained that tribal areas in the northeastern parts of India enjoy certain constitutional protections, and that there is “fear” among them that the planned tribal status would mean that the Meiteis could own land in the hills.
What is the historical background of the violence?
Both sides have a long history of violent clashes and deep ethnic tensions.
“There are deep-seated, long-running tensions between the hill and the valley and there were fires in 2015 for different reasons, but the same underlying tensions,” Saikia said.
He noted that the violence is traditionally ethnic and that while there may be some overlap with religion, it has largely remained an ethnic conflict with some instances of intertribal violence.
“There has been violence in Manipur since its incorporation into the Indian state. It is a complicated, complex region formed by several factors,” Saikia said.
What is the role of the government since the outbreak of violence?
The state government is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Since the outbreak of violent clashes, the central government has invoked an article of the constitution that allows it to take over a state and have special powers,” Saikia explained.
He cited eyewitness accounts saying that the state police had failed to contain the gangs and contain the clashes in Meitei-dominated Imphal and other parts of the state.
“People of the Kuki community said targeted attacks had been carried out against them by violent gangs,” said Saikia, but added that there is an “information vacuum” in the area as journalists cannot enter Churachandpur due to the violence and because internet services are cut off.
Local media reported that armed Kuki fighters carried out attacks, took over the streets and clashed with security forces.
Where are things now?
Nearly 23,000 people have fled from both sides.
“The Meiteis are outnumbered in the hills, so they’ve been driven from there, while the tribes are outnumbered in the plains and cities, where they’ve been driven out,” Saikia explained.
He said the government has sent two security advisers to the state to help restore law and order, but the situation remains tense.