#NewsBytesExplainer: Why was Manipur CM's event venue set on fire

The Manipur government imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Manipur's Churachandpur and suspended internet services and large gatherings to prevent any untoward incident. The action came after an irate mob, protesting against the declaration of village land as protected forest area, set ablaze an open gym scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Biren Singh on Friday.

• Locals allege that the state government declared a huge chunk of tribal hill areas as government land without consulting the residents.
• The exclusion of indigenous communities from the decision-making process is well documented.
• Notably, successive governments have subjected tribal communities to land grabs and forcible displacement to control natural resources.
• This has resulted in poverty, social unrest, and the loss of cultural identity.

In February this year, the government notified several villages for eviction, stating that they were encroaching on the Churachandpur-Khoupum protected forest. The government declared all houses built after 2021 illegal and liable for eviction. After the government carried out eviction drives and sought to identify "illegal immigrants" in the area, tribal bodies staged protests across the state as well as at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

On February 15, Churachandpur deputy commissioner reportedly ordered a verification drive to identify "illegal immigrants" in several villages in Churachandpur and Mualnuam sub-divisions of the district. On February 20, Manipur's forest department, with help from the state police, evicted the residents of K Songjang, a Kuki tribal village in Churachandpur district. The same day, Kungpinaosen village in Churachandpur was notified to vacate the land.

In March, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and the Kuki Students Organization (KSO) held rallies in the hill districts of Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, and Jiribam. The demonstration in Kangpokpi turned violent when police used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and were met with stone-pelting by demonstrators. Five people were injured in the incident, including police personnel.

The forest department also bulldozed K Songjang village, stating that majority of the houses were built after 2021. The village was ruled to have been established unlawfully along the Churachandpur-Khoupum protected area based on Google Maps that showed only two or three structures/houses built before 2021. The majority of dwellings, 13 or 14, were found to have been built after 2021, making them illegal.

The vandalism and arson on Thursday came as public anger has been simmering for over two months as protesters claim that despite submitting several memorandums to the government, it "has shown no sign of willingness or sincerity in addressing the plight of the people."