Media Wonders How 'Ethnic Conflict' Affects Citizens, Ignores State Complicity
Al Jazeera's '101 East' poses the question: "How is the ethnic conflict in Manipur affecting ordinary citizens?" (Al Jazeera, 2025). A noble inquiry, certainly. But framing it as mere 'ethnic conflict' conveniently sidesteps who benefits from the chaos. The BJP-led state government's policies, including the controversial Forest Act amendments and the push for a Uniform Civil Code, have directly
exacerbated tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. This isn't just organic friction; it’s a political strategy of divide and rule, benefiting the ruling party's electoral calculus. When mainstream outlets call it 'ethnic conflict' rather than 'state-sponsored ethnic cleansing' (as many independent reports and human rights groups suggest), they normalize governmental inaction, or
worse, complicity. One might wonder if the real question is how long we can pretend these humanitarian crises are spontaneous unfortunate events, rather than manufactured distractions for political gain. Just ask the Rohingya, or the Kashmiris; the formula is tragically similar.