Global rights body condemns killing of children, violent crackdown on protesters in Manipur

By A Representative 

The world's foremost organization for Indigenous peoples' rights has issued a sweeping condemnation of the ongoing violence in India's Manipur state, calling the government's militarized response a failure that has deepened suffering and entrenched impunity across Indigenous and tribal communities.

Operating from Quezon City, Philippines, the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) — a global network spanning dozens of countries and recognized as a leading voice for Indigenous rights at the United Nations — issued the strongly worded statement on May 7, 2026, following a series of fatal attacks and government crackdowns that have reignited international concern over the northeast Indian region.

The immediate trigger was an April 7 bombing in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, Bishnupur District, that killed two young siblings and critically injured their mother. The attack occurred before dawn when an explosive projectile struck the family's home. The National Investigation Agency has launched an investigation and reportedly detained suspected members of the United Kuki National Army, though the group denied any involvement, calling the allegations "baseless" and "unfounded."

The bombing was far from isolated. Since the ethnic conflict erupted in May 2023, Manipur has recorded dozens of incidents involving improvised bombs and grenades, repeated mortar-like shelling across villages, and hundreds of armed clashes, arson attacks, and raids. Human rights observers have raised concerns about government collusion with proxy militant groups, the use of sophisticated weaponry, and a pattern of inaction at the highest levels of the state.

"No child or civilian should ever become a target of armed conflict. The persisting violence in Manipur demands immediate global humanitarian attention and action to fully de-escalate brutal attacks against Indigenous Peoples, investigate and hold to account those in violation of International Humanitarian Law, human rights and rights of Indigenous Peoples," said Beverly Longid, IPMSDL Co-convener.

When mass protests erupted in Bishnupur on April 7 in response to the children's deaths, Central Reserve Police Force personnel opened fire on demonstrators, killing three and injuring more than thirty. Sustained demonstrations spread across Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, and Kakching in the days that followed, growing from hundreds to thousands. Candlelight vigils, sit-ins, and torch rallies continued through April 19 and 20, with solidarity actions also reported in Assam. Much of this unrest has gone underreported due to repeated internet shutdowns, social media blackouts, mobile data bans, and road blockades severing Manipur from outside scrutiny.

"State violence against grieving communities only compounds the suffering of the people. Repression cannot bring peace — only justice and accountability can," Longid added.

IPMSDL drew a direct line between the current violence and decades of militarized governance under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), describing the legislation as having normalized impunity, deepened fear, displaced civilians, and reproduced cycles of violence across Northeast India. The movement called for the repeal of AFSPA and other emergency laws, urging instead a return to dialogue, customary peace mechanisms, and rights-based governance rooted in the traditions of the affected Indigenous communities. Longid also warned against allowing the conflict to be framed as purely inter-tribal antagonism, arguing that Indigenous peoples across the region share a common history of dispossession and militarization that should unite rather than divide them.

IPMSDL raised the issue at the 25th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, held at UN Headquarters in New York from April 20 to May 1, urging the international community to mobilize in solidarity with Manipur's people. Since the conflict began in 2023, hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands displaced.