Tribal Rights in Manipur: Constitutional Safeguards, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

Introduction: Manipur, a culturally diverse state in India’s northeast, is home to over 34 indigenous tribes, including Nagas, Kuki-Zo and Zomis. These communities inhabit the hill areas, which cover nearly 90% of the state’s landmass. To preserve their identity and autonomy, the Indian Constitution provides special safeguards for the hill tribe communities. However, recurring ethnic tensions, land disputes, and governance gaps reveal that these protections often remain more theoretical than practical. The violent conflict of 2023, between the valley-dominated Meitei community and the hill-dominant tribal community Kuki-Zo have exposed these vulnerabilities and underscored the urgent need for reform.

This article examines the constitutional framework for tribal rights in Manipur, the systemic challenges that persist, and practical steps to strengthen these protections for a peaceful and inclusive future.

Constitutional Safeguards for Tribal Communities

The Indian Constitution and related laws provide multiple protections for Manipur’s tribal communities:

• Article 371C: Establishes the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) in the Manipur Legislative Assembly to oversee laws affecting tribal customs, land, and development. The Governor reports annually to the President, enabling Union intervention when necessary.

• Autonomous District Councils (ADCs): Created under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971 for local governance, though their powers are limited compared to Sixth Schedule councils in other northeastern states.

• Land Protection: The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 excludes hill areas, ensuring tribal land remains under customary law and barring non-tribals from acquiring land there.

• Customary Law and Village Authorities Act, 1956: Empowers traditional village bodies to manage local affairs.

• Affirmative Action: Scheduled Tribes benefit from reservations in education, employment, and politics under Articles 15(4), 16(4), and 46.

• Financial Support: Article 275 provides Union grants for tribal welfare programmes.

These measures aim to safeguard tribal identity and autonomy, but their implementation has been uneven.

Persistent Challenges

Despite constitutional guarantees, tribal communities continue to face systemic challenges that hinder equitable development and social harmony. Efforts to standardise land registration have sparked protests, as tribal groups fear the erosion of customary land rights, while the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the Meitei community escalated into violent clashes that began on the 3rdMay 2023. ADCs remain constrained by limited legislative and financial autonomy, fueling demands for the extension of Sixth Schedule provisions. Hill areas lag significantly in infrastructure, healthcare, and employment, and the region’s proximity to the Golden Triangle has worsened drug trafficking, contributing to a severe HIV/AIDS crisis among tribal youth. Political underrepresentation persists, as hill districts, despite covering most of the state’s land, hold only 20 of 60 Assembly seats. Security and governance gaps, marked by delayed law enforcement responses and a lack of accountability, have eroded trust in state institutions. External pressures such as illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and development projects perceived as biased further threaten tribal lands and cultural heritage. The ethnic violence of May 2023 starkly illustrates these systemic weaknesses, displacing thousands and deepening ethnic divisions across the state.

The Road Ahead

To ensure justice and inclusive growth, a multi-pronged approach is essential. Strengthening constitutional mechanisms by empowering the HAC with binding authority and considering the extension of Sixth Schedule provisions for greater autonomy is crucial. Protecting land rights through the digitisation of land records in consultation with tribal councils while avoiding policies that undermine customary ownership will help preserve traditional systems. Promoting peace-building by facilitating inclusive dialogue among communities and implementing rehabilitation measures for displaced persons is necessary for harmony. Investing in development by improving education, healthcare, and livelihoods in hill areas, along with launching targeted programs to combat drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, will foster progress. Enhancing representation through proportional political participation and strengthening ADCs with financial and administrative powers will ensure fairness. Finally, strengthening security and justice by deploying neutral security forces under civil oversight and ensuring impartial, fast-tracked investigations into violence will build trust and stability.

Conclusion

Manipur’s constitutional safeguards have been designed to protect tribal communities, but weak implementation and deepening ethnic divides have undermined their effectiveness. The violence of 2023 serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform. Granting greater autonomy, empowering local institutions, securing land rights, and fostering dialogue are critical steps toward building a peaceful and inclusive Manipur where tribal rights are fully respected.

Douminlal Kipgen

Geopolitics and International Relations