What Martial Law is Like (Manipur, India)

When I traveled here to Manipur, I didn't realize that this region of India was actually in a state of martial law. In fact, it has been this way for over 15 years. It wasn't until recently that tourists such as myself were even able to enter the state of Manipur without getting special permission. The thought of martial law would definitely make people in the USA cringe, but what is it actually like?

The Diversity of Tribes

The people of Manipur have several different languages and tribes, and people tend to stick with their own tribe. This isn't difficult to understand. Normally people tend to prefer being around people that speak the same language. However, in this case, the differences between the numerous tribes of Manipur is both religious and lingual.

This is my friend Solomon, who is a member of the Hmar tribe in Manipur. He lived in the United States for several years, and we went to the same middle school. When he left back to Manipur back in 2007, neither of us probably imagined we would see each other again.

Solomon's tribe is a predominately Christian group. Only decades ago, missionaries came to Manipur, befriended his tribe, and translated the Bible into the Hmar language. This act alone completely changed the history of his people. Soon enough, they were constructing churches and converting the rest of the local tribesmen and women to Christianity.

However, there are also other tribes which are Muslim and Hindu in the area. Hinduism, in particular, probably accounts for the lowest percentage of practitioners in Manipur. Unlike much of the rest of India, you can go to the market and purchase cow meat without fear of persecution (or even execution).

Military Presence and Tribal Response

On the other hand, there are many military servicemen who loyal to the country of India patrolling the streets in Manipur. Most of these men are concentrated in the major city of Imphal. It is easy to spot them out since they hold large rifles and dress in a typical military uniform similar to that of any country in the world.

As it has been explained to me, anybody who causes problems can be killed by the military serviceman without reasonable evidence and conviction by a jury of peers to a certain charge. This means that you simply need to follow the local customs and not start conflicts or fights to stay out of trouble. All-in-all, this is very easy to do.

Since people have been unfairly killed in the past, all of the tribes in Manipur have formed their own rebel group. These rebel groups, as explained to me, do not wish to go to war with the government of India but simply protect the livelihood of their people and families. As a result, they will arm themselves with guns and weapons.

However, the only weapons you will typically see while walking the streets in Manipur are those of the Indian soldiers. Although it is not as if these soldiers are walking around executing people randomly and perpetuating a state of conflict.

Corruption

Much how the police in many parts of the world are corrupt, so are the soldiers which patrol the streets of Manipur. To put this in perspective, alcohol is illegal in the state of Manipur, yet people (including the soldiers) are commonly found drinking alcohol. You can even go to "secret" bars and stores where alcohol is openly served and sold.

One experience which was pretty funny was when my local Hmar friends and I went to go buy a few beers and were immediately confronted by an Indian soldier afterward. The soldier knew that we had just illegally acquired alcohol and tried to talk to us when we were going back into the car. Of course, I had no idea what he was saying. The Hmars that were with me told me that he was simply asking for money. We didn't even give him a single rupee, and instead just drove away.

Living in Martial Law

The family I am currently staying with has a nice 3-story house with all of the luxuries found in my native country (the USA). We have running hot water, electricity, television, internet, free access to water, and excellent food available. As I'm writing this, I am sitting outside on a peaceful day watching people in the distance constructing a new home and hear children playing on the streets. On the contrary, when you imagine the idea of martial law, you might instead think of constant gunshots, screaming, and so on.

At least in Manipur, living in martial law is more of a joke than what it might be perceived to be. There are no government soldiers knocking down people's doors and stealing property from the locals. Nobody is rounding up the guns of the local villagers and threatening peaceful demonstrators with death. Of course, there are instances where human rights violations become clear.

However, if I had no choice but to remain here in Manipur and live the rest of my life under martial law, I am confident that I would remain as happy and free to pursue my interests as any other location on Earth. After all, it is not my goal to start any sort of violent uprising against the Indian government.