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By Akshay Dongare: Violent clashes between the tribal Kukis and non-tribal Meities left a trail of destruction across Manipur. Among the places that suffered the most were those which had a mixed population and were once beacons of hope for a peaceful co-existence between communities.
Villages in Bishnupur district have become a no man’s land. Bishnupur, which is located between Imphal — dominated by the Meitei community, and Churachandpur — dominated by the tribal Kuki community, had a mixed population. The district saw the most violent clashes as mobs from both sides raided the villages, burning houses and properties.
The forces deployed in the area do not allow vehicles from either side to cross these points. Reason — tension is still high in these villages with high trust deficit between the two communities. Only personnel from central police forces are now living in the dilapidated buildings.
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Checkpoints have also been set up by both Kuki and Meitei populations where groups of men are guarding their respective areas to ensure the ‘other’ community people do not infiltrate.
Thousands of displaced people from these villages are now staying in different overcrowded relief camps in Churachandpur and Imphal, where they are left with no other option but to wait for the peace to prevail.
These displaced people have horror accounts of how the families, that once lived peacefully with each other, are now devastated at the thought of living together.
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Aruna Meitei, a resident of Kangwe village in Bishnupur, now stays in a relief camp in Imphal with her husband and four children. Before the conflict, she ran a convenience store in her village.
“I have lost almost everything. All our dreams are shattered but I still hope for peace. We had just set up a shop few years ago but everything was looted and we saw the village in flames when we fled. I don’t know if I would want to go back and live there again,” Aruna Meitei told India Today.
Gracy, who lived with her parents in Torbung village, is now living in Churachandpur district. She said the thought of going back makes her entire family dread after what they have seen.
“We were living peacefully. We didn’t hate each other in our village based on communities. But the mobs burnt our house. Now we do not want to go back,” Gracy said.
Clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3 when the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) organised a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the Torbung area of Churachandpur district. They were protesting against the demand of non-tribal Meiteis – who dominate the Imphal Valley – for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
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