Militant Groups Take Over Kuki Property, Flouting Supreme Court Order in President-Ruled Manipur

Abandoned businesses and residential houses have slipped into the hands of militant groups, who have either occupied them or kept a close watch on how they are being used. Many properties have been 'renamed'.

Imphal East/Imphal West— In a dimly lit colony where sunlight barely reaches, some walls have the words “AT” and various numbers written on them. When asked about their meaning, locals explained that this was once a Kuki settlement and has now been “renamed” the Arambai Tenggol – AT – Colony. The area, known as  Zomi Villa till 2023, in Manipur’s Imphal West district has undergone a dramatic transformation in other ways too.  

---

As a nonprofit journalism organization, we depend on your support to fund more than 170 reporting projects every year on critical global and local issues. Donate any amount today to become a Pulitzer Center Champion and receive exclusive benefits!

---

Here, most shops are run by people who are not originally from Manipur, but locals said that the landlords of the buildings have “changed.” Businesses that once provided livelihoods for the Kuki community are now generating income for the militant group Arambai Tenggol, locals said. A police officer, stationed at a chowki fewer than 10 steps away, has little to add to this. 

In September 2023, the Supreme Court ordered the Manipur government to ensure the protection of properties belonging to displaced persons, including those that had been destroyed or burned during the violence, and to prevent illegal encroachment. However, locals told The Wire that properties in Zomi Villa are now directly under the Arambai Tenggol’s control, and that the group has been profiting – illegally – from them.  

This reporter asked a shopkeeper whether he had contacted his Kuki landlord – the rightful owner of the shop – so as to be able to pay rent directly to him. The shopkeeper said that this was not possible. “Arambai even checks our phones. If they find us talking to Kuki people, they don’t just threaten us, they fine us. I want to sell everything I bought for my shop and go home. What’s the point of maintaining a livelihood like this when we can’t speak freely, can’t talk openly, and the government doesn’t help us?” he said. 

Many shopkeepers echoed similar concerns. “Earlier, we paid security money to our rightful Kuki landlords. Now, we pay Arambai Tenggol. Is there any law in Manipur?” another shopkeeper asked.

There was some communication in the days after violence broke out on May 3, 2023 in the state. “In the beginning we were in touch with our rightful landlords but now they have stopped contacting us after coming to know that our life, too, is under threat,” said another shopkeeper. By ‘threat’, the shopkeeper ostensibly meant the Arambai Tenggol. 

The militant group has seized control of all Kuki-owned houses and shops in Zomi Villa, marking them with new identifiers. A building is likely to be branded with ‘AT H.No.1’ which stands for ‘Arambai Tenggol, House Number 1’.

A local resident, requesting multiple times not to be named, described the situation as something akin to being held captive. “More than 300 militants live in this area, and the police take no action. They threaten us, demand money…I feel trapped in my own state,” he said. 

Another resident told The Wire that over 70 Kuki homes and numerous shops in the Zomi Villa  area are now under Arambai Tenggol’s  control, with the group collecting rent against these properties.  

“Extortion has become the new normal in Imphal. They keep demanding money. It feels like we are earning for them, not for our families who live far away,” said a shop owner. All of those who speak to The Wire say that they fear retribution and request anonymity.  

In a month, the violence in Manipur will turn two years old. Manipur is under President’s Rule and the Union government has taken charge of the entire state. Yet, this change in governance has not translated to tangible freedom for Imphal residents, thanks to Valley-based militant groups. Since the Zomi Villa area is within the border of the Imphal West district, The Wire reached out to the Imphal West superintendent of police, but he refused to comment this and asked this reporter to contact the Manipur Police Headquarters. 

A similar picture in Imphal East

A similar story is unfolding in New Lambulane of Imphal East, where Kuki families lived until September 2, 2023.

In July 2023, The Wire met with several families who shared how they were struggling to survive without their income in Imphal. One such family was that of Reverend S. Prim Vaiphei and his son Mang. This family managed to live in New Lambulane until September 2023, when both central and state forces ordered them to vacate the area due to security concerns. They were relocated to Kangpokpi.

When The Wire reached out to Vaiphei for an update on April 2 this year, his response was heartbreaking. “My beloved son Mang left us to be with the Lord on October 24, 2023, after we were pulled out of our home in New Lambulane. He suffered a cardiac arrest. It was a big blow to my family,” Vaiphei said. Mang was possibly in his late thirties.

Describing Mang’s final moments, Vaiphei said, “He had just returned from a walk and was sitting on a bench. He passed away without a word. His mother, after preparing tea, called him, but there was no response. When we checked, he was lifeless.”

The Wire had spoken to Mang in September 2023, a month before he died. Back then, he was deeply concerned about leaving Imphal. “My savings, everything I could use to earn a living, are left in Imphal. Now, I have no idea how I will survive or how I will take care of my family,” he had said.

Shortly after the Vaiphei family vacated New Lambulane, their home was looted and attacked by militant groups. Vaiphei recalled, “My house was attacked three times after being looted. The CRPF commander stationed in New Lambulane called me and said, ‘Uncle, even though I am here, I cannot protect your house. I have no power, no authority. I am just a silent spectator’.”

He added, “After we left, we were told that everything had been taken. When Mang heard the news, he said, ‘Everything is gone – my computer, my TV, my cycle. I don’t work anymore. How will I ever buy those things again?’ I think the news of our home being looted weighed heavily on his heart.”

Currently, central and state forces patrol New Lambulane – effectively sealing off areas to prevent militant groups such as Arambai Tenggol and the UNLF from taking over Kuki properties.

However, despite security measures, this reporter found that a Kuki house on Playground Road in New Lambulane has been illegally occupied. The house, which belonged to Tonggoulen Singson, was burned on May 30, 2023, during the violence. Although it was partially saved from complete destruction by Meitei Pangal groups, it is now under the control of another Meitei group.

When The Wire last saw the house in May 2023, it was locked and had visible signs of arson. Now, it is locked from the inside, with a Meitei flag displayed at its entrance.

Speaking from his current residence in Kuki-majority Churachandpur, the owner of the house, Tonggoulen Singson told The Wire, “A friend informed me that members of the suspected VBIG (Valley-Based Insurgent Groups) have occupied the section of our house that wasn’t burned.”

The Singson family fled Imphal on May 6, 2023, just three days after the violence erupted.

Despite everything, Tonggoulen Singson still misses his home and the friendships he left behind in New Lambulane. “I didn’t even get time to say goodbye to my friends. I still hope things will improve soon.”

He said that he has discovered the stark difference between Imphal and Churachandpur, saying, “As the capital city, Imphal has most of the government facilities – good roads, reliable electricity, and proper internet. Churachandpur, on the other hand, has suffered years of government neglect, with dusty, poorly maintained roads and inadequate healthcare. But the hardest part is being away from our community….”

To verify these claims, The Wire cross-checked with Google’s Street View, footage from which indicates that the house has been occupied for at least the past 11 months. The street view images also confirm the presence of a car parked inside the property.