Kwatha Khunou

**Kwatha Khunou** (; literally, *extended new village of Kwatha*), originally spelled as **Kwatha Khunnou** (), is a small village located in Tengnoupal district, Manipur, near the India–Myanmar border. It lies about 16 kilometres from Moreh, a major border trade town. The village is mainly inhabited by the Meitei people. It is in a remote area, and the daily life of its residents depends heavily on access to nearby places in Myanmar.

In March 2024, Kwatha Khunou was reportedly set on fire by Kuki militants during an ethnic violence in the state. It was an important place because it was among a few Meitei settlements in the hills, besides Kwatha, that had managed to stay unharmed for the past 10 months of unrest until its destruction.

## Emigration to other places 
On March 12, 2024, residents of Kwatha Khunou publicly declared that they would not return to their homes unless a permanent security post is established in the village. The statement was made during a press briefing held at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal.

Kwatha Khunou is situated approximately 7 kilometres from Kwatha Khunjao and is inhabited by around 42 individuals from 13 households. According to village chairman Ningthoujam Manihar, the village has experienced repeated security challenges due to its proximity to Myanmar. Since the outbreak of conflict in Myanmar in March 2020, women and children from Kwatha Khunou have frequently taken temporary refuge in Kwatha Khunjao and other nearby areas.

A major issue arose around Border Pillar No. 81. According to villagers, this pillar used to stand in Kwatha Khunou but has now been moved about 3 kilometres into Indian land. This shift could result in about 3 square kilometres of Indian territory being given to Myanmar. Although local protests followed, the Government of India claimed there was no border dispute and called the media reports “baseless.”

Despite this, villagers remain firm in their claim. They explain that certain rocks, which now mark the new pillar site, were always seen as near the border but not the exact spot for the pillar. They believe the correct location is further inside.

### Historical background and reactions 
This issue reminded many in Manipur of the 1953 event when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave away around 11,000 square kilometres of land, including the nearby Kabaw Valley, to Myanmar without consulting the people of Manipur. Civil society groups and opposition parties in the state have strongly criticised the current government, accusing it of silently allowing more land to be taken.

The situation has caused villagers to lose trust in the central and state governments. Some have even started expressing that if India will not protect them, they might consider turning to Myanmar for support.

## Security and border management 
India shares over 1,600 kilometres (about 1,008 miles) of border with Myanmar. This border is largely open and poorly guarded, making it easy for people, goods, and even armed groups to move across. Several banned armed groups from India operate from bases in Myanmar. These groups use the open border to launch attacks and escape, sometimes with help from Myanmar’s military in exchange for illegal payments.

India started building a fence in 2013 to control this, but the work stopped due to disagreements between the two countries. Recently, India and Myanmar signed a new agreement to fix border alignment issues by building “subsidiary pillars” between the main pillars. Some believe this step is meant to restart the fencing project.

## Related pages 
* Meitei people in Myanmar
* Meitei people in Bangladesh

## Additional sources 
* Unrest over shifting of border pillar in Moreh at deccanherald.com
* Delhi to survey Manipur pillars at telegraphindia.com
* Manipur, where incursions by Myanmar soldiers are on the rise at thehindu.com

## References