More Than 40 Meitei Families Arrive in Assam From Mizoram for Safety

SILCHAR: Following an ex-militants group open call to the Meitei community to leave Mizoram for their ‘own safety,’ forty-one Meitei people arrived in Assam from the neighbouring state, officials said on Sunday.

Meitei families arrived in Silchar of Cachar district in Assam from Mizoram fearing for their safety, although the Mizoram government has assured that Meiteis in Mizoram are being provided security and no harm would come to them.

The backdrop to this exodus is tension brewing in Mizoram after the viral video emerged of the heinous incident in which two women were paraded naked in Manipur. Following the outrage over the viral video, Peace Accord MNF Returnees' Association (PAMRA) issued a statement from Aizawl on Friday which asked Meiteis to leave Mizoram for their "own safety” because of "anger among Mizo youth" at the incident of two women being paraded naked in strife-hit Manipur. PAMRA said that sentiments of Mizo have been severely hurt by the atrocity committed on the Zo-ethnic community in Manipur

Cachar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta informed that these individuals arrived in Silchar from the adjoining Mizoram on Saturday night and have been provided accomodation at the Lakhipur Development Block building in the Binnakandi area of Silchar.

He further mentioned that they are all well-to-do families and they came to Silchar from Mizoram in their own vehicles. “Some are college professors, while some work as senior government officials. They said that there have been no attacks in Mizoram as of now," he added.

They said that although the Mizoram government was providing all security to them, they did not want to take any risk by staying there and came to Assam for their own safety, he explained.

The SP also said that they have expressed their desire to stay in Silchar till the situation becomes normal, adding that they are being provided security by Assam Police.

This is not the first time that refugees from the neighbouring states have sought shelter in the state. In the wake of the continued ethnic violence that was sparked off in Manipur on May 3, thousands of individuals belonging to Meitei, Kuki, and Hmar communities had sought refuge in Assam.

According to latest reports, some Meiteis are being forced to flee Mizoram, where they had earlier sought safety, after PAMRA- the ex-militants' association in Mizoram- asked them to leave the state due to the renewed tension sparked off by a viral video that showed two women being paraded naked in Manipur. The perpetrators are said to belong to the Meitei community, which has been engaged in ethnic violence against the Kukis and other tribals of Manipur.

The Mizoram government had issued reassurances of the safety of the Meitei community living in Mizoram and urged them not to be swayed by rumors. Nevertheless, tensions continued to persist, which led to several Meitei families leaving for their home states on Saturday.

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