- विज्ञापन -
Imphal: Life in Manipur was severely impacted on Saturday as a strike was observed by various groups to commemorate two years of ethnic violence in the state.
However, police reports indicated that the shutdown remained peaceful so far across both the valley and hill districts.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), representing the Meitei community, called for the shutdown in the valley districts, while the Zomi Students Federation (ZSF) and Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) enforced it in the hill districts.
A police official stated that shops, markets, businesses, government and private offices, banks, and schools were closed. Most vehicles stayed off the roads, except those belonging to security forces, who have been deployed at key and sensitive locations to prevent any untoward incidents. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, a large gathering, including women, assembled at Khuman Lampak in Imphal, where COCOMI organized a public convention to observe the two-year anniversary of the ethnic conflict.
In the evening, COCOMI planned a candlelight tribute for the martyrs and victims of the violence at Kangla Nongpok Thong. The organization urged the public to come out in large numbers and to refrain from routine activities as a show of solidarity. Various groups representing the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribes will also hold events across Manipur, Guwahati, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a major organization of Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribes, designated the day as “Separation Day.”
Since February 13, following N. Biren Singh’s resignation, Manipur has been under President’s Rule, with the assembly suspended. The 60-member legislative body’s term is extended until 2027.
Since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, over 260 people have died, more than 1,500 injured, and approximately 70,000 displaced. The violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in hill districts protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
The conflict has caused extensive destruction to homes, government and private property, and religious sites. To address ongoing tensions, a tripartite meeting involving officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities was held in New Delhi on April 5.
