Tribal Commons and Conflicts in Manipur and Tripura in Northeast India

Abstract

"Different reasons are given for two current conflicts in Northeast India. Most observers treat them as secessionist and terrorist. They may have some such components but land, particularly the commons managed according to the customary law, is crucial to them. These conflicts belong to two different categories but the commons are their commonality. In Manipur the focus is on land which the Naga tribes feel the dominant group is trying to alienate from them. They have traditionally managed it under their community based customary law which the state is trying to change. In Tripura the conflict began after the tribal commons were alienated from them in order to rehabilitate the refugees and immigrants from the erstwhile East Pakistan. This paper will look at the role of land, the commons in particular, in the conflicts in Manipur and Tripura and will reflect on some alternatives."