In Manipur, internet bans have become a systematic tool of control

The situation in Manipur deteriorated again on Saturday night after security forces arrested five members of Arambai Tenggol (AT). In response to the growing unrest, the state authorities have imposed curfew in all five valley districts - Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kachung and Bishnupur - to maintain law and order. Internet services in these areas were suspended for five days to curb the spread of rumors and potential riots.

Let’s face it, disabling the internet has become a systemic tool of control for state governments, and these shutdowns highlight a deeply disturbing reality: silencing marginal voices to control the narrative. The internet is more than a tool, it’s a lifeline, connecting people to opportunity, education, and each other. For communities already on the edge of mountainous terrain, severing this connection is more than an inconvenience; it is a serious act of exclusion. It denies them the opportunity to be heard, to speak their truths, and to confront marginalized forces. Rather than fostering unity and understanding, these closures have further isolated them, undermining social cohesion at a time when dialogue is most needed to address conflict and rebuild trust in government.

Rather than address the grievances that fuel their demands — grievances rooted in decades of neglect, violence, and alienation — the state government has chosen to isolate them from the rest of the world. The heavy reliance on internet blackouts to respond to the unrest has, to some extent, exposed the state government’s failure to address the root causes of the conflict in Manipur, ignoring structural grievances such as land rights and political representation, and prioritizing controlling speech and suppressing voices rather than adopting a state governance model that promotes dialogue, which does not help resolve these long-standing issues. This shutdown violates basic rights, such as the right to peacefully protest and access to the news. It deprives people of the ability to seek critical information, confirm their safety, or contact loved ones in times of crisis.

Moreover, the constant disruption of internet services is a serious disaster for the economy of Manipur, especially for the community.

According to a report by Top10VPN, Internet outages cost India $585.4 million in 2023 and affected 59.1 million people. The longest outage occurred in Manipur, where Internet services have been interrupted for several months since 2023.

For communities in Manipur that are already struggling economically, the lack of access to online marketplaces, banking services or educational resources exacerbates existing inequalities.

(The writer is a freelance journalist. Views expressed are personal)