An IED blast on Wednesday in Manipur’s Bishnupur District has dealt serious injuries to an eight-year-old boy and 2 teenagers. At about the same time gunmen started indiscriminate firing in two villages in Kangpokpi district. This resurgence of violence came after a rare 4-day lull.
Source: ANI Photo
Incidences of disturbance have been reported from the North-Eastern state since May 3 after a “Tribal Solidarity March” against the Meitei’s demand for the Scheduled Tribe status. Ethnic violence ensued, primarily between the Kuki and the Meitei communities, where armed miscreants set houses to fire which were mostly inhabited by the Meiteis. The Meitei community, who inhabit the densely populated and fertile valley, have insisted that the ST status would help them to protect ancestral lands whereas the Kukis feared eviction from the reserved forest land.
Conflicts Resurface in Manipur
Wednesday’s attack came after two days of CM N Biren Singh threatened both the militants and armed civilians of consequences if they do not agree to a ceasefire. Sources claimed that the explosives were carried in an SUV and parked near the culvert to damage infrastructure and hinder the mobility of the army and security forces deployed for peace-keeping missions. They speculate that the aim was to damage the significant Tiddim road between Kwakta and Phougakchao Awang Leikai.
A series of attacks also occurred in the past few days in several villages which were close to the spot of the IED blast. Sporadic firing at dusk was reported from Haraothel and L Munai villages in Kangpokpi district before the insurgents were driven away by security forces.
Shah calls All-Party Meeting
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called for an all-party meeting on June 24 after he met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Shah summoned every party to discuss the situation in Manipur where ethnic tensions and violence have resulted in more than 100 casualties as well as immense destruction of property and resources in the past 50 days. The meeting is to be held in Delhi at 3 p.m. as tweeted by the Union Home Ministry.
Source: PTI Photo
Mr. Shah had met Meitei and Kuki representatives when he visited the battle-torn state between May 29 and June 1. Meitei representatives have previously urged Shah to abrogate the peace treaty signed with the Kukis in the wake of the state-wide disturbance. Several MLAs from Manipur are in Delhi, expecting to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on an international tour to the U.S. and Egypt.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces a tricky situation in Manipur as 9 BJP MLAs have written to Narendra Modi that the people of the state have lost their confidence in the government led by CM Biren Singh, and urged for appropriate actions that would restore their faith in the ruling party.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi issued a video message where she expressed deep sadness and appealed for peace. On the other hand, Mizoram CM Zoramthanga has written to the PM requesting funds of ₹10 crores to provide relief to the 11,785 people who fled Manipur to seek refuge in Mizoram, a government spokesperson said.
