Manipur: Broadband Restored in Manipur Valley Amid Internet Ban; Tensions Simmer Between Meiteis and Kukis

IMPHAL: The government of Manipur has partially restored broadband internet services in five of its valley districts days after a blanket suspension of both mobile and broadband internet to quell the rising tensions. The move comes after widespread protests erupted in Imphal on Monday over the recent alleged "drone attacks" in the region. For now, access to broadband has gone up once again, but the ban on mobile data services stays.

The respective districts that benefit from the partial restoration include Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Kakching. The suspension of the internet for five days was to suppress false rumors and misinformation. Especially, inflammatory social media posts have just added fuel to the fire, prolonging unrest. With the restoration of broadband access, residents in these districts will once again be able to access the internet-even though with hobbled mobile access.

On the other hand, however, mobile data services remain suspended in the valley. The ban on the Internet had not been imposed in hill districts of Manipur, including the predominantly Kuki tribe. The blacking out of the internet has largely left untouched the hill districts; this is a far cry from how things were restricted in the valley.

The ethnic tensions between the valley-dwelling Meitei community and the Kuki tribes have dramatically worsened in the last few months, claiming more than 220 lives and rendering almost 50,000 people homeless. A political issue snowballed into a deep-rooted ethnic conflict, with both sides digging in their heels over their demands.

The Meitei, the majority community in the valley, is pushing for its inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category, which is considerably opposed by the Kuki tribes, predominant tribes inhabiting the hill regions. The Kukis believe that the grant of ST status to the Meiteis will further tilt the already precarious balance of power and resources. Decades-long perceived injustices of discrimination and resource disparity have made many of the Kukis in recent times demand an independent administration within Manipur.

While restoration of broadband in the valley offers temporary respite from the communication blackout, the bigger conflict is still smoldering and does not seem to be resolving anytime soon.

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