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‘Will be hard to return soon’: Hundreds flee violence in Manipur, but calls for peace emerge as fires ebb

On incidents of violence in Manipur, MoD spokesperson says situation 'currently stable' in Moreh, Kangpokpi & all efforts underway to restore normalcy in Imphal, Churachandpur.

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Imphal: The Bir Tikendrajit International Airport is packed with people fleeing their homes in the wake of violence that broke out Wednesday in Manipur’s Hill districts and Imphal valley following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March‘ called by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM).

“We are leaving Manipur,” says a 40-year-old single mother, among the few who managed to book tickets before broadband services were curtailed Thursday. She adds with tears in her eyes, “My house was ransacked. They looted everything. Some people came on bikes and in autorickshaws, and took away everything. From the house, they took the TV and other valuables, and damaged all the furniture.”

Adding that her parents’ house in Imphal West was also burned down, she tells ThePrint, “It will be hard to return soon. How can we go back to the same area, let our children go to school? There is insecurity in our minds. The government doesn’t love us as and we cannot depend on neighbours despite having lived here for 50 years.”

In Imphal, a few private vehicles were plying on the deserted streets Friday as police personnel stood guard in vulnerable areas of the capital city. Charred remains of vehicles could be seen at every 100 metres of the Airport Road. 

Buildings vandalised and looted in the Imphal valley include a shopping mart, private residences, churches, temples and a training centre for pastors, among others.

A church in Imphal vandalised Thursday | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint
A church in Imphal vandalised Thursday | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint

As is often seen during crises in Manipur, local residents have been forced to buy fuel from the black market as curfew remains in place. One litre of petrol is being sold for Rs 150 or more against the standard price of Rs 90/litre.

“So far, we are not facing food scarcity, but if it goes on like this, people will face a bigger problem,” says one Imphal resident, who did not wish to be named.

Meanwhile, incidents of violence and arson were reported from various districts over the past 48 hours, with many alleging “government inaction”.

According to sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the central government Thursday invoked Article 355 of the Constitution — an emergency provision allowing it to intervene and safeguard a state against external aggression or internal disturbance.

While no official notification has been issued regarding the promulgation of Article 355 in Manipur, broadband services were suspended for five days starting 4 May. Mobile internet was barred for 5 days on Wednesday. 

The Army has warned against “fake videos” being circulated on social media.

Security checkpoint on Airport road in Imphal | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint
Security checkpoint on Airport Road in Imphal | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint

Meanwhile, many from the affected communities — tribal Kukis and various sub-tribes, and the non-tribals or Meitei majority — say they want “peace and harmony in the state”.

For decades, Manipur has grappled with ethnic violence which can be traced back to disputes over land and resources, besides other factors. Geographically, the state is divided into Hill districts, which comprise 90 per cent of the total area — and Valley areas, which comprise the remaining 10 per cent. The Hill districts are largely inhabited by broad groups of Naga and Kuki-Chin-Mizo or Zo ethnic tribes.


Also Read: Ethnic conflicts to ‘dissent from within’, Manipur CM Biren Singh is fighting many fires


‘Situation now stable in Moreh & Kangpokpi’

Despite concerted efforts by the Army and the government to restore normalcy, the situation remains tense in the Hill districts and adjoining areas, besides the Imphal valley. 

On Thursday evening, reports surfaced of violence in Moreh, along the Indo-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district. People from other communities, including Meiteis, were targeted in acts of “arson, looting, physical harm and destruction of property”, a local resident tells ThePrint.

Some residents in Moreh add that miscreants “dug up” a portion of the Asian Highway-1 (Dimapur-Imphal-Moreh route), and many homes were set ablaze in the border town. Hundreds are taking shelter at an Army camp near Moreh town, they say, adding that some are also fleeing across the international border to neighbouring Myanmar for safety.

Vehicles set ablaze along Airport Road in Imphal, Thursday | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint
Vehicles set ablaze along Airport Road in Imphal, Thursday | Karishma Hasnat | ThePrint

Meanwhile, in Churachandpur’s Torbung village, local residents are mourning the alleged killing of a 38-year-old retired Army man.

The younger sister of the former serviceman, Jamkhogin Baite, tells ThePrint that the family has decided not to claim his body unless the state government concedes to all demands raised by tribal leaders. 

“My brother’s body has been kept at the morgue of New Lamka district hospital, along with mortal remains of two other victims from nearby areas,” Helamboi says Thursday. “Three families together went to the morgue this morning. We were picked up in an ambulance by leaders of a civil society organisation.”

ThePrint reached the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Churachandpur district via calls to confirm the claims about the deaths, but both were not reachable.

Baite’s sister says he joined the ATSUM solidarity march Wednesday, and stepped out a second time in the evening when he heard of clashes in the area. He did not take his cell phone with him and it was past midnight when the family “heard of his death through social media”, she adds.

The 38-year-old non-commissioned officer, who took voluntary retirement from the Army last October, was a father to four, the youngest of whom is five-months-old.

Local sources say “many have died in the clashes and many more injured”.

Stating that “dead bodies will be counted by the police”, Dr Kh Sashee Kumar, additional director of health services and spokesperson for the Directorate of Health Services, Manipur, says, “I heard from media that there are bodies at morgue of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, Imphal (RIMS). I haven’t been able to visit RIMS yet.”

As of Friday, an eerie silence prevails in Churachandpur with no fresh incidents of violence having been reported since the Army conducted a flag march in the district earlier in the day. But towards the evening, there were reports of firing and the situation turning grim.

However, residents of peripheral villages of Churachandpur and those living in the foothills of other Hill districts continue to live in fear. Incidents of arson were reported from these areas until late Thursday evening. 

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) tells ThePrint that the situation has been brought under control and is currently “stable” in Moreh town and Kangpokpi district.

“All efforts underway to restore normalcy in Imphal and Churachandpur. Precautionary build-up of additional troops in Manipur to continue. Additional columns are also re-deployed from Nagaland. In addition, the Indian Air Force will be undertaking flying operations to induct additional Army columns from Guwahati and Tezpur,” adds the spokesperson.

‘We want peace, Manipur is our home’

Recalling how humanity prevailed even in the midst of the mindless violence and clouds of smoke, one resident of Churachandpur district tells ThePrint how his Meitei neighbours came to his mother’s aid.

“Since our father passed away, my mother has been living alone at our house in Imphal along the Airport Road. It was vandalised, but had our Meitei neighbours not intervened, it would have been burned down,” he says. “We have been living together since the early 70s,” he adds, describing how his neighbours took his mother to the Leimakhong Army camp in the city.

Across Manipur, those evacuated from affected districts are taking shelter in temporary camps.

“We are more than 2,000 people living here. There’s a church in the compound, and they are providing us with some food and tea,” says a resident taking shelter at the Manipur Rifles-1 camp in Imphal. “Some people are carrying their belongings and others have left them at home.”

People evacuated from violence-affected areas in Manipur at a shelter set up by the Army, Thursday | ANI
People evacuated from violence-affected areas in Manipur at a shelter set up by the Army, Thursday | ANI

Another resident calls upon the government to restore normalcy in the state. “We were evacuated by security personnel Thursday. We want peace, harmony. At the end of day, Manipur is our state, our home,” he tells ThePrint. “We lost almost all our property and could only manage to save some of our documents.”

On Friday, a meeting was held at the police headquarters in Imphal, attended by IPS officers of the state and chaired by Kuldeep Singh, who was appointed adviser to the Manipur government the previous day. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and chief secretary Rajesh Kumar, too, held separate meetings Friday.

(This is an updated version of the report)

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)


Also Read: ‘We’re all together’: Manipur CM Biren Singh brushes aside BJP rebellion talk after meeting MLAs


 

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