Manipur Violence: In Manipur, the bodies of a woman and two children were found floating in the Jiri river on Friday. After this, protests started in many districts of the state, which have now turned violent. People of the Meitei community attacked the houses of eight MLAs in Imphal. The protesters pelted stones and committed arson here. They blocked the roads in Imphal by burning tyres.
In fact, on November 11, armed militants wearing uniforms attacked the Borobreka police station premises and the CRPF camp. 10 militants were killed in this. During this period, 6 people were kidnapped from a relief camp located in the Borobreka police station premises of Jiribam district. The three bodies found on Friday are said to be those of these missing people.
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Due to the protests, curfew has been imposed in five valley districts of Manipur. While internet has been banned in seven districts for two days from 5:15 pm on Saturday. These districts are- Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur.
Anger erupts after bodies found in Jiribam
The bodies of three of the six people who went missing from Jiribam on Monday were found floating in the Jiri river. The unidentified bodies of a woman and two children were brought to Silchar in Assam last night and kept in the hospital mortuary for postmortem.
Officials are awaiting the postmortem report and have collected photographs for identification. Due to lack of facilities in Jiribam, postmortems of bodies found in the area are being conducted in Silchar.
Home Ministry gave strict instructions
The Union Home Ministry has instructed all security forces deployed in Manipur to take necessary steps to restore peace in the state. The Home Ministry said in its statement, “The security situation in Manipur has remained fragile for the last few days. Armed miscreants from both the communities involved in the conflict have been involved in violence, which has led to unfortunate loss of life and property and disruption of law and order.”
The ministry further assured that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in violent or disruptive activities and several important cases have been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation. In view of this delicate situation, the Center on Thursday re-imposed AFSPA in six police station areas of the state, including violence-hit Jiribam.
Photos of demonstration in Imphal
These MLAs’ houses were attacked…
1. Rajkumar Imo Singh, Sagolband Assembly
2. Sapam Kunjkeshwar, Patsoi Assembly constituency
3. Sapam Nishikant, Keshamthong Assembly
4. Thangjam Arunkumar, Wangkhei Assembly
5. Sagolshem KB Devi, Naoriya Pakhandlakpa Assembly
6. Khwairkhapam Raghumani Singh, Uripok Assembly constituency
7. AC Lokan, Wangkoi Assembly
8. Karam Shyam, Langthabal Assembly Constituency
Apart from these, the houses of state cabinet ministers Sapam Ranjan and Thongam Biswajit Singh were also attacked.
Meitei organization started indefinite strike
Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an organization of the Meitei community, has announced an indefinite strike from Saturday. The organization’s president Khuraijam Athauba said that this strike will be held in Ima Keithel market of West Imphal district. This is Asia’s largest women-run market.
Kuki community protest over bodies of Kuki militants in Assam
A clash broke out between police and Kuki community members outside Silchar Medical College Hospital (SMCH) in Assam on Saturday morning, following which the police lathi-charged the people.
Actually, the family members of 10 militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Jiribam district of Manipur were protesting outside the hospital demanding their bodies.
Assam police tried to convince them that the bodies would be handed over to Manipur police, but the family members started pelting stones demanding that the bodies be handed over to them.
After this, the police lathicharged the protesters, after which the situation came under control and the family agreed to take the bodies from the Manipur police. After this, the bodies were airlifted to Churachandpur in Manipur.
Kuki organizations said that the dead were not militants but volunteers
People belonging to the Kuki community are demanding justice for those killed in the encounter. Hundreds of people protested in Churachandpur on Friday. They demand a judicial inquiry into the encounter.
Kuki organizations have claimed that those who died were not militants. All were volunteers from Kuki village. They also said that CRPF should not leave its camp keeping in mind the incident that happened on Tuesday.
IGP Operations IK Muiva rejected this claim of the organizations. He said that all the people killed had advanced weapons. All of them had come here to create disturbance. This proves that all of them were extremists.
On the Kuki community’s comment on CRPF, he said- Police and security forces are working under the Government of India. They always work under the guidance of different agencies. Security agencies like police and CRPF will continue to work according to their duty.
The militants had attacked the police station-CRPF camp
The Borobekera police station located in Jakurador Karong area of Jiribam district was attacked by Kuki militants on November 11 between 2.30 and 3 pm. In retaliatory firing, the security forces killed 10 militants.
Near the police station is a relief camp for people displaced by the Manipur violence. The people living here have been targeted by Kuki militants. The camp has been attacked earlier as well.
According to the officials, the militants were wearing uniforms similar to those of soldiers. 3 AK rifles, 4 SLRs, 2 INSAS rifles, one RPG, 1 pump action gun, BP helmets and magazines were recovered from them.
The security forces had said that after attacking the police station, the extremists had fled towards a small settlement located one kilometer away. They had also set houses and shops on fire there. The security forces had fired bullets at the extremists.
On November 11, in Manipur’s Yaingangpokpi Shantikhongban area, militants had fired from a hill on farmers working in their fields, in which one farmer was killed and several were injured .
Police said that in this area the militants fire from the hills to the lower areas. Farmers working in the fields are being targeted. Due to the attacks, the farmers are afraid to go to the fields.
Huge amount of ammunition seized in Imphal in 3 days
Assam Rifles had said that during the search operation in the hill and valley districts of Manipur, security forces seized several weapons, ammunition and IEDs.
On November 9, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Manipur Police had seized one .303 rifle, two 9 mm pistols, six 12 mm single barrel rifles, one .22 rifle, ammunition and other items from the forests of L Khonomphai village in Churachandpur district.
Besides, one 5.56 mm INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle, two SBBL guns, two 0.22 pistols, two improvised projectile launchers, grenades, ammunition were seized from S Chawngoubung and Maohing in Kangpokpi district.
On November 10, a joint team of Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and BSF recovered arms and ammunition in the area of Utangpokpi in Kakching district. It included a 0.22 rifle, ammunition and items.
9-10 November: Murder of woman, firing from the hill On November 10, firing incidents took place in Sansabi, Sabungkhok Khunou and Thamnapokpi areas of Imphal East district. On November 9, militants killed a 34-year-old woman in Satan of Bishnupur district. At the time of the incident, the woman was working in the field. The militants fired from the hill to the lower areas.
8 November: Militants burn down 6 houses, 1 woman killed
On 8 November, armed militants burnt down 6 houses in Jairawan village of Jiribam district. Villagers alleged that the attackers also opened fire. A woman was killed in the incident. The deceased woman was identified as Josangkim Hmar (31). She has 3 children. Villagers alleged that the attackers belonged to the Meitei community. Many people fled from their homes after the incident.
Woman burnt alive after rape
On November 7, a woman from the Hmar tribe was killed by suspected militants. They also set houses on fire in Jiribam. In a police case, her husband alleged that she was raped before being burnt alive. A day later, a woman from the Meitei community was shot dead by suspected Kuki rebels.
It has been almost 500 days since the violence in Manipur started
The ongoing violence between Kuki-Meitei has been going on for almost 500 days. During this period, 237 people died, more than 1500 people were injured, 60 thousand people have left their homes and are living in relief camps. About 11 thousand FIRs were registered and 500 people were arrested.
During this period, incidents like nude parade of women, gang rape, burning alive and slitting of throats took place. Even now Manipur is divided into two parts. Kukis live in the hill districts and Meitei live in the plain districts. Borders have been drawn between the two, crossing which means death.
Schools and mobile internet were shut down. After the sudden increase in violent incidents in Manipur, the state government had banned internet for 5 days on 10 September. However, the ban on broadband internet was lifted on 12 September.
Understand the reason for Manipur violence in 4 points
Manipur has a population of about 38 lakhs. There are three major communities here – Meitei, Naga and Kuki. Meitei are mostly Hindus. Naga-Kuki believe in Christianity. They come under ST category. Their population is about 50%. Imphal valley, spread over about 10% area of the state, is dominated by Meitei community. The population of Naga-Kuki is about 34 percent. These people live in about 90% area of the state.
1- How the dispute started: The Meitei community demands that they should also be given the status of a tribe. The community filed a petition in the Manipur High Court for this. The community argued that Manipur merged with India in 1949. Before that they had the status of a tribe. After this, the High Court recommended to the state government that the Meitei should be included in the Scheduled Tribe (ST).
2- What is the argument of the Meitei: The Meitei tribe believes that years ago their kings called the Kukis from Myanmar to fight the war. After that they became permanent residents. These people cut the forests for employment and started cultivating opium. Due to this, Manipur has become a triangle of drug smuggling. All this is happening openly. They formed an arms group to fight the Naga people.
3- Why Naga-Kuki are against it: The other two tribes are against giving reservation to the Meitei community. They say that 40 out of 60 assembly seats in the state are already in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley. In such a situation, if Meitei gets reservation in the ST category, their rights will be divided.
4- What are the political equations: Out of 60 MLAs of Manipur, 40 MLAs are from Meitei and 20 MLAs are from Naga-Kuki tribe. So far, only two out of 12 CMs have been from tribes.
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