Conflict in Manipur and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

Many people in Manipur and elsewhere attribute the present conflict in Manipur to the state of India's militaristic policies in the state, especially AFSPA.
Though this cannot be determined, the outcome and the consequences of the Act has more than proven this belief. In the three decades since AFSPA was enacted in Manipur in 1980,
and more than five decades since it was legislated to combat the Naga movement in 1958, violence and insurgency have grown manifold in Manipur.
It has only contributed to the rise of more and more insurgent outfits in the region. But more importantly, it has almost destroyed the lives of a generation of Manipuri people
by snatching away their freedom and creativity, taking away prosperity and growth of their society. Manipur now lives in shambles, in all aspects


The Manipuri Conflict
Along with insurgency, internal divisions amongst constituent indigenous populations have surfaced as main causes of strife in the state; the Jeevan Reddy Commission stated that
The current situation in Manipur is a complex amalgam of factors. There are longstanding animosities among ethnic, tribal, plains and hill groups. The Meitei people who constitute
the majority in the State have a deeply felt historical perspective of Manipuri territorial and cultural unity.
The nexus between crime and politics on one hand, and foreign involvement through funds, arms, and sanctuaries on the other, make for a highly volatile security situation. Over the years,
 the nature of insurgency has - as elsewhere in the North East - shifted to acts of terrorism, extortion, coercion of the population giving rise to a situation of internal disorder.
With an approximate population of 2.5 million the state is inhabited by various ethnic groups; the main ones being the Meities, Pangals (Meitei Muslims), Nagas and Kukis. Manipur, as most civilians believe[who?],

is being ruled by three governments: the state government, the insurgent government and the army of the state, and the common people are sandwiched in between