Manipur violence: More than 5,800 people from violence-hit Manipur have fled to Mizoram, following the recent inter-ethnic clashes in the northeastern state. The violent clashes took place between the Meiteis and tribals, in which 71 people have died so far.
According to the officials, as many as 5,822 people, belonging to the Chin-Kuki-Mizo community, are lodged at temporary relief camps across six districts of Mizoram. Aizawl district currently has the highest number of such displaced people at 2021, followed by Kolasib (1,847) and Saitual (1,790), the officials said.
C Lalrosanga, a member of the Mizoram Lok Sabha, has supported the demand for a separate administration for tribal people made by the tribal MLAs of Manipur. In the wake of the violent clashes, 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven from the BJP, urged the Centre to create a separate administration, claiming that tribal people could no longer live under the Manipur government.
Manipur violence
The unrest in Manipur erupted on May 3 after a protest march organised by the Kuki tribes sparked clashes with the non-tribal Meitei community. The march was called to oppose the recent Manipur High Court order, which asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the majority and predominantly Hindu Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.
The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Manipur CM met Amit Shah
Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, accompanied by four of his cabinet ministers and BJP state president Sarada Devi, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital on Sunday (May 14).
Earlier, Singh informed that a high-level inquiry will be conducted to hold those responsible for the violence to account and also act on those who failed to discharge their responsibilities in containing the unrest. "A high-level inquiry will be conducted to fix responsibility on persons/groups behind the violence and government servants who failed to discharge their responsibilities. I appeal to all not to spread or believe unfounded and baseless rumours. Till now, 35,655 persons, including 1593 students, have been moved to safer locations," the CM said.
(With PTI inputs)
