• Asia India is already the most populous country in the world, but no one knows how much population it has.

In the far northeast of India there is a region that is connected to the rest of the country by a narrow land corridor that has witnessed continuous conflicts between ethnic communities, separatist groups and small guerrillas for more than 70 years. It is one of the most unstable corners of the world's most populous new nation. In Manipur, which borders Burma, it is estimated that more than 50,000 people have died in the continuous conflicts that continue to shake this land.

This week, the army is patrolling the streets of many towns in this state. Authorities have cut off the internet connection and ordered police to shoot "in extreme cases" to stop ethnic clashes that have already left at least 54 people dead.

News channels continue to broadcast videos of barricades on burning carts, churches, schools and government buildings, while soldiers evacuate thousands of people trying to seek refuge from the violence unleashed in the streets. Police warned on Saturday that "rioters" had raided the armories of some police stations and stolen weapons and ammunition.

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Emerging.

AllPending India's Economic Coming of Age

  • Writing: ÁNGEL PEÑA

AllPending India's Economic Coming of Age

India.

A Hindu 'god' wanted for rape and kidnapping of children

  • Editor: LUCAS DE LA CAL (Correspondent in Asia)

A Hindu 'god' wanted for rape and kidnapping of children

Everything erupted last Tuesday after a protest against the request of the Supreme Court of Manipur to include the Meitei community, which represents almost 50% of the population of this state where 3.6 million people live, within the system of "registered tribes" in India, which would allow its members to access greater health and education resources. as well as the possibility of applying for government jobs.

The rest of the state's ethnic groups, which are not officially registered, oppose the Meitei attaining a status that gives them access to benefits that are unattainable for other minority communities. India reserves some public jobs, university admissions and elected seats, from village councils to Parliament, for communities under the category of "scheduled tribe".

This week's protest was not the first because the groups have been taking to the streets since the court ruled on the matter on April 20. But on Tuesday night the demonstration set off a spiral of violence in several parts of the state, prompting security forces to try to disperse the riots with tear gas and to decree a 24-hour curfew.

Indian police fire tear gas at protesters in Imphal.AFP

Indian army sources told Reuters this weekend that troops had evacuated more than 13,500 people from different communities, sheltering them in military camps. "We are working on a war footing with army troops and paramilitaries deployed to defuse any type of community confrontation, protests and blockades," local authorities explained.

India, an Asian giant in constant development, which aspires to be a future world power, continues to drag the retrograde caste system, which was officially abolished in 1950, but which in the social hierarchy remains intact and classifies Hindus at birth, defining their place in society, what jobs they can do and who they can marry.

This system affects 25% of the more than 1.400 billion people residing in India, grouped under the Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and the Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis), both are the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in the country, but the tribes are even more marginalized. Many adivasis do not even have national identity documents, which are needed to access many government aid, health insurance or open a bank account.

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