Manipur's Crisis Linked to Drug Trade, Religion, and Christian Statehood

The escalating violence in Manipur has been attributed to a complex mix of drug trafficking, religious tensions, and the push for Christian statehood, according to sources shared with a national media outlet.

The sources said that the region's turmoil goes beyond mere ethnic conflict, with a parallel economy driven by illegal drug trade fueling the unrest.

They pointed to the existence of a drug syndicate worth Rs 60,000 crore in Manipur, which dwarfs the state’s annual budget of Rs 35,000 crore. 

The region, situated in the so-called Golden Triangle of drug production in Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, has become a major hub for methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs, flowing into India and across the globe.

Sources stressed that Myanmar's drug cartels have extended their reach into Manipur, with local populations being paid to protect drug production and trafficking operations.

The violence in Manipur is not just ethnic in nature; it is deeply intertwined with religious ideologies and the global Christian network, the sources noted.

They pointed out that the Kukis, a Christian-majority group in Manipur, are receiving substantial support from international Christian bodies, fueling separatist aspirations. This comes at a time when Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma’s controversial remarks in the United States about forming a ‘Christian nation’ for the Kuki-Zo people have sparked further tensions.

His statement, which called for a consolidated Kuki-Zo population across India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, is seen as a rallying cry for these groups, triggering violence on both sides of the border.

The intelligence sources also linked the current unrest to the rise of militant groups and an alarming breakdown in local police. The recent wave of violence followed the deaths of 11 suspected militants in a clash with security forces and an increase in abductions, including the kidnapping of six civilians, some of them women and children, by armed militants.

"Attackers traveled 200 kilometers from Churachandpur to Jiribam without being detected. This is a war game of a different level, involving abductions, killings, and rapes," the sources stated.

The violence has exposed deep divisions within the local communities, with Meitei civilians reportedly losing faith in both the social machinery and their own political representatives, who have distanced themselves out of fear. This has resulted in widespread arson and attacks, adding to the already volatile atmosphere.

The intelligence officials warned that the situation could escalate further, with the Northeast potentially becoming a “war zone” unless immediate action is taken to contain the violence. They also stressed that the violence in Manipur is a product of multiple factors—drug trade, religious identity, and the strategic interests of separatist groups—with the support of international networks further complicating the situation.

“Multiple organisations are working in the Northeast, from Mizoram to Tripura, to carve out a separate state on the basis of religious identity. The Mizo National Front (MNF), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Hmar People’s Convention (HPC), and Chin National Army (CNA) are separatist organisations in states of Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, and Myanmar’s Chin State. All these groups have different objectives but they share ethnic and religious ties,” they added.