Shutdown, mass gatherings mark 2nd anniversary of Manipur conflict
A statewide shutdown and mass gatherings marked the second anniversary of the ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities of Manipur on Saturday.
Shutdowns, observed in both the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo-dominated hill districts, brought life to a grinding halt across the state.
In capital Imphal, all government and private institutions, including schools and colleges, remained closed. Public transportation stayed off the road and business establishments remained closed.
While the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) enforced the shutdown in the valley, the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) led similar actions in the hill areas.
In Imphal, COCOMI organised a public convention at Khuman Lampak Stadium, where speakers urged the central government to ensure the 'free and safe movement' of all residents in the state. Thousands of people attended the event.
Christened the 'Manipur People's Convention', it adopted a resolution accusing the Centre of failing in its responsibilities and called for an immediate and time-bound roadmap to restore peace and normalcy.
The resolution emphasised that Manipur's territorial integrity must not be compromised. 'Under no circumstance shall the territorial integrity, historical identity, and political unity of Manipur be compromised. Any attempt, external or internal, to divide or disintegrate the state will be firmly and collectively opposed by the people of Manipur,' it added.
'We want to return to our homes and live a dignified life like everyone else. We are merely surviving in the relief camps. Given the situation that we are in, there is no future for our children,' said Khuraijam Abem Leima, an internally displaced person speaking at the event.
In Churachandpur, thousands of Kuki-Zo residents gathered at the 'Wall of Remembrance' in Tuibuong to observe 'Separation Day', marking their community's continuing demand for a separate administrative arrangement.
Ginza Vualzong, spokesperson for the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), said: 'Until and unless our demands for a separate administration in the form of Union Territory is granted, we will continue to fight for justice.' Lenminlal Gangte, vice-president of KSO Churachandpur, added that peace cannot be set as a precondition for resolving the conflict with the Meiteis.
Another event took place at the Sehken Village burial site, where MLA L M Khaute advocated for political autonomy, again in the form of a Union Territory.
More than 260 people have been killed, 1,500 injured and over 70,000 displaced since ethnic violence broke out between the Meteis and the Kukis on May 3, 2023.
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