‘We just got peace and now…’: Manipuris in Delhi take to streets over violence back home

By Milan Sharma: Houses and shops were set on fire, vehicles were set ablaze, and thousands of Manipuris were displaced following clashes between tribals and the Meitei community in the state. For Manipuris in Delhi, the situation back home has left them worried.

As the situation deteriorated in the northeastern state, Manipuris in Delhi staged a protest outside Manipur Bhawan. Their demand: ‘We want peace in Manipur’.

Speaking to India Today, one of the protestors said, “There was a communal riot in Manipur yesterday, so we want to request the central government to intervene in this issue.”

Another protestor lamented that the northeastern state managed to attain peace after a long time, but once again it was disrupted due to the violence.

“Manipur was not peaceful for long. We just barely managed to attain peace and we don’t want anything to disturb it,” the woman, who is from the Meitei community, said.

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Talking about the violence back home, she said, “Because of being a Hindu minority in Manipur, we (the Meiteis) have been demanding inclusion into the ST category. To oppose this, those who are already in the ST category (the Kukis) planned the whole thing. They burnt our houses and shops. It takes a lifetime a build a house, they burnt it all.”

“We want peace. We want to live and eat and work in peace,” she said.

ALL WE KNOW ABOUT MANIPUR VIOLENCE

• On Wednesday, a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the ten hill districts of the state to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who account for 53 per cent of the state’s population, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
• During the march in Torbung area of Churachandpur district, an armed mob allegedly attacked people of the Meitei community, leading to retaliatory attacks in the valley districts, which escalated the violence throughout the state.
• Many shops and houses were vandalised, and gutted in arson that lasted for more than three hours in Torbung.
• Urging people to maintain peace, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said, “Precious lives have been lost, besides damage of properties, which is very unfortunate.” The CM said the violence was the result of “misunderstanding” in society.
• Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles have been deployed to contain widespread rioting that broke out across Manipur.
• The Manipur Governor on Thursday gave his approval to shoot at sight order in “extreme cases” to contain spiralling violence in the state.
• After mobile internet services, broadband services have now been suspended in Manipur in a bid to contain the violence and spread of rumour.

ALSO READ | Internet snapped, Sec 144 imposed as mob sets ablaze Manipur CM’s event site ahead of his visit