Protest over violence in Manipur.
Credit: Special Arrangement/File Photo
Several persons were injured in tear gas shells and rubber bullets firing on Wednesday when thousands of Meiteis tried to evict a barricade put up by security forces along Manipur's two conflict-hit districts.
Disobeying the curfew imposed by the administration in Meitei-dominated Valley districts, thousands marched to Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district where the central security forces stopped them from behind the barricade. Videos shared on social media showed the Meitei crowd, including the women pushing the steel barricade and shouting slogans against the central forces as they tried to break it.
As the crowd did not listen to requests made by the security forces and tried to clash with them, security forces fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets. This caused injury to several protesters.
Thousands gathered and marched to break the barricade as per an appeal made by Coordination Committee of Manipur Unity (COCOMI), an umbrella organisation of civil society groups of the Meiteis. The COCOMI said they wanted to remove the barricade as they wanted to resettle the Meiteis who lived in the land beyond the barricade but fled due to the violence. The protesters wanted to remove the barricade and march upto Torbung and Kangvai, which according to them was a Metei settlement till the violence broke out.
The security forces, mainly Assam Rifles, however, put up the barricade in order to create a "buffer zone" dividing the Meitei-dominated Valley district like Bishnupur and the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district. They said the "buffer zone" was created in order to prevent further escalation of the violence between the Meitei and the Kukis that have already claimed over 170 people since May 3.
The COCOMI went ahead with the march despite the Manipur government's appeal on Tuesday to withdraw the "mass protest." Manipur information minister, Sapam Ranjan told reporters on Tuesday evening that the government has already started removing many barricades. He said around 700 displaced people of Torbung, who were taking shelter in relief camps, started returning to their houses which had not been damaged during the violence.
Zoramthanga meets Kuki MLAs:
Meanwhile, Mizoram CM Zoramthanga held a meeting with at least six Kuki MLAs and representatives of several Kuki organisations from Manipur at Aizawl on Wednesday. Zoramthanga stressed the unity of the Kuki Zomi people. "Our unity as a single tribe is our only chance for survival," he said in the meeting. Zoramthanga, who has provided shelters to over 12,000 displaced Kuki-Zomi people from Manipur, also asked the Kuki leaders to take steps "unitedly and carefully" during the crisis. Mizos share ethnic ties with the Mizos.