Category: IMPHAL

Normalcy would be restored in Manipur when the two groups, instead of clashing, initiate talks and the internally displaced persons return to their place of origin, a senior former Indian Army officer from the state said on Sunday.

The officials of the Social Welfare Department, who compiled data on children staying in different relief camps, said that out of around 12,700 children, 100 are severely traumatised needing professional counselling.

Former Deputy National Security Adviser D. D. Padsalgikar, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to monitor and supervise cases handed over to CBI and those of SITs, met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey and apprised her of the current crisis in the state.

The five slain people included L.S Mangboi Lhungdim, 50, who composed the song "I Gam Hilou Ham (Is this not our land?)" after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3. His songs became a rallying cry for tribal unity.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) on Thursday said that disregarding repeated calls by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to maintain peace, armed assailants continue to attack the tribal areas in Manipur, killing four people during the past three days.

Two days after the visit of Lt. Gen. R.P. Kalita, Chief of the Indian Army's Eastern Command, Lt. Gen. H.S. Sahi, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Spear Corps, visited the Red Shield Division of the Army in Manipur, defence sources said on Wednesday.

A police officer said that combined search operations continued in vulnerable areas of Kangpokpi, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Imphal West districts to recover looted arms and ammunition. 

Two persons, including a village defence volunteer (VDV), were killed while seven others were injured in heavy firing between two rival groups at Narainsena in Bishnupur district on Tuesday, the police said.

In another incident, media reports quoting the police said that unidentified attackers snatched three weapons from the security personnel guarding the residence of former Health Director K. Rajo on Sunday at Sagolband Bijoy Govinda in Imphal West district.

10 tribal MLAs, including two ministers, who have been demanding separate administrations for tribals in Manipur, will boycott the Assembly session commencing August 29 citing security reasons.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday said that prefabricated houses are being constructed to rehabilitate displaced people temporarily  while the permanent structures would be built at the original places for those affected by the violence in the state.

Blockade on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) continued for the second day on Tuesday, while the security forces provided security cover to facilitate the movement of vehicles along the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37).

The state cabinet earlier on August 4 had made a similar recommendation to Governor to convene the 4th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 21 but the Governor did not summon the session.

United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas in Manipur, on Monday objected to the demand of a Kuki organisation for the creation of the posts of Chief Secretary and Director General of Police or equivalents in the Kuki areas.

Expressing their deep concern over the filing of FIRs against Kuki scholars and academics, a leading tribal body of the community in Manipur has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to withdraw the cases registered against the tribal intellectuals.

An influential tribal body in Manipur on Monday reimposed indefinite blockade on two vital National Highways after accusing the rival community for disrupting supplies of essential commodities in the tribal dominated areas.

CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said without disarmament of the cadres of all groups, the Manipur crisis would not be resolved and also asked the BJP government to start talks with the warring Kuki and Meitei communities for resolving ethnic strife.

Various political parties and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in Manipur on Saturday told the visiting CPI-M delegation that "due to the far reaching conspiracies of the BJP-RSS, the ethnic violence erupted in the state". 

A four-member delegation of the CPI-M, led by the party's General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, arrived in trouble-torn Manipur on Friday for a three-day state visit. Upon their arrival, the delegation met the displaced people at the relief camps in Churachandpur and Moirang.  

Prominent Manipur BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh on Friday urged the Central government not to hold any talks with the Kuki militants as they according to him violated the ground rules of Suspension of Operations (SoO) and were part of the ethnic violence in the state.

While confirming the incident, Ukhrul District Superintendent of Police Ningsem Vashum said the fatalities occurred following an exchange of fire between the two rival groups in the tribal-dominated Thowai village

The tribals on Manipur, comprising Chin, Kuki, Zomi, Mizo and Hmar tribes, celebrated the 77th Independence Day with a ceremonial march past and singing of national anthem at a mega event in Churachandpur on Tuesday.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said that certain misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and conspiracies of foreign nationals trying to destabilise the state led to the widespread violence that claimed hundreds of lives and resulted in the loss of properties.

The security forces in Manipur have recovered 16 looted arms, 11 types of ammunition and a large quantity of explosives during the past 48 hours, officials said on Sunday night.

Amid the ethnic violence in Manipur, an apex body of seven militant outfits in Manipur on Saturday gave a call to boycott Independence Day programmes, besides calling for a 17-hour general shutdown on August 15.