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Curfew imposed in 5 Manipur districts amid call for removal of barricade
District authorities in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal issued separate orders late on Tuesday for the imposition of the curfew “due to developing law and order conditions”
A curfew has been imposed in five districts of ethnic violence-hit Manipur following the call of the women’s wing of a collective of dominant Meitei community groups for a march for the removal of a security barricade at Phougakchao Ikhai village.
COCOMI, the collective, has sought Assam Rifles’s removal from Manipur saying the force was biased. Meitei women groups have held a series of protests against the force. The Kuki-Zo-Hmar and other tribal groups have requested the Union government not to remove the force
District authorities in Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal issued separate orders late on Tuesday evening for the imposition of the curfew “due to developing law and order conditions”. Curfew was earlier relaxed for 13 to 15 hours daily.
People aware of the matter said there was no report of any untoward incident and that security forces were trying to enforce the curfew.
Manipur minister S Ranjan Singh said that the government has removed many barricades while appealing COCOMI to withdraw the call.
Assam Rifles has been involved in restoring normalcy in hit Manipur. Last month, it sent a legal notice to a Manipuri leader for his alleged remarks accusing the force of siding with Kuki militants during the clashes with Meiteis.
The Manipur Police have filed a first information report (FIR) accusing the Assam Rifles of stopping them from pursuing Kuki militants across a buffer zone.
Assam Rifles, which maintained its troops were only following the buffer zone guidelines in place to restore normalcy, has filed a sedition case against COCOMI for allegedly discouraging the return of weapons stolen from police armouries.
The Kukis and other tribal groups live in hill districts while the Meiteis in the Imphal valley and plains. The central forces are posted in the buffer zones or areas adjoining the foothills to ensure that armed people from both the Kukis and Meitei sides do not cross them to launch attacks.
Central forces, including the Assam Rifles, have been directed against allowing even state police to cross the buffer zones without taking them along. The directive was issued against the backdrop of allegations of bias against the state police.
The army on August 8 said “inimical elements” have made desperate, repeated, and failed attempts to question the role, intent, and integrity of the central forces, especially Assam Rifles, working to save lives and restoration of peace.
Ethnic violence between the Metei and Kuki communities has since May 3 claimed over 150 lives and displaced close to 50,000 people.
