The Meitei Alliance has strongly condemned what it called “biased and selective” reporting by some national and international media, which, according to the organization, portrays Meitei civilians and their civil society as aggressors in the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
The Alliance said in a statement issued Wednesday that such coverage distorts ground realities and affects the pluralistic fabric of Manipur, which historically sustained coexistence among several ethnic communities. This comes at a time when the Meitei people remain committed to safeguarding and nurturing Manipur’s multicultural and democratic ethos.
The statement accused several prominent organisations and media outlets, including the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Al Jazeera, The Wire, The Print, The Caravan, The Hindu and the Editors Guild of India, of spreading what it described as a “one-sided narrative” that legitimized armed Kuki militants, referred to as “volunteers,” while demonizing the Meitei community.
The Alliance’s statement refers to violence from May 2023 onward that has killed over 250 people as saying that selective reporting by some outlets had “deepened mistrust and communal fault lines” rather than contributing to peace or understanding. The Alliance alleged that such narratives downplayed the role of Kuki militant groups engaged in narco-terrorism, poppy cultivation, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration.
The organization termed the approach of these media platforms “predatory activism masquerading as journalism” that distorts facts and undermines India’s sovereignty in the Northeast.
Citing a recent Al Jazeera documentary as an example, the Alliance claimed the reporter seemed “acquainted with heavily armed Kuki militants” but did not question their alleged unlawful activities, including attacking civilians and defying Indian law. It said the documentary misrepresented the origins of violence because the clashes were linked only to a Manipur High Court ruling on Scheduled Tribe status for Meiteis, omitting the initial vandalism and arson in the Meitei villages at Torbung.
The statement further criticised the PUCL and “aligned organisations” for their alleged “studied silence” over data and evidence regarding drug trafficking and militant activities by Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur, Assam, and Mizoram. Such selective advocacy, the group said, fuels separatist tendencies and propagates ideologies reminiscent of “Nazi-era Lebensraum,” which, it further alleged, are threats to the multicultural character of the state.
Arguing for “responsible and ethical journalism,” the Meitei Alliance called on the national and international media to report with precision and balance. It also urged Indian citizens, civil society, and policymakers to recognize what it termed “the twin challenges” facing Manipur: militant groups operating under the disguise of ethnic victimhood, and biased media ecosystems that “erode democratic integrity through misinformation.” Reiterating its stand, the Alliance said it is committed to a pluralistic and democratic Manipur, and called for collective efforts in upholding peace, truth, and constitutional order in a region bordering the Golden Triangle.