Death toll in Manipur’s month-long ethnic violence rises to 98

IMPHAL: The death toll in the month-long ethnic violence has risen to 98 and the number of injured to 310, while 144 sophisticated arms, looted earlier from the police and various security forces, have been surrendered at different districts after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s appeal on Thursday, Chief Security Advisor to the Manipur government Kuldiep Singh said on Friday. Singh said that the number of FIRs registered has gone up to 3,734, and a total of 65 persons have been arrested till Friday, while 4,014 cases of arson have been reported.

”Of the 144 surrendered weapons, there are 37 SLRs, 18 carbines, and four AK 47 rifles,” he told the media, adding that currently around 37,450 people from different communities are being sheltered in 272 relief camps, including community halls, in 13 districts. He also said that no major violent incident has been reported in the last 24 hours, barring one or two incidents of firing in the state, which have been dealt with strictly by the security forces like the state police, central paramilitary forces, Army, and Assam Rifles.

Shah, on the last day of his four-day visit to violence-hit Manipur on Thursday, requested all concerned to surrender their weapons to the security forces and administration; otherwise, strict legal action would be taken against those who were possessing arms and ammunition. Defence officials said that intelligence-based combing operations are underway across Manipur. “To ensure sustainable peace in Manipur, security forces have identified de-weaponization and enforcement of the provisions of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement signed with the Kuki militants as focal points to be addressed immediately from the security perspective across Manipur,” a defence spokesman said.

He said that intelligence sources have been energized and dedicated columns kept on standby to ensure quick action on receipt of input for the early recovery of weapons. “Surprise checks are being conducted in the designated camps of the Kuki militants under the SoO deal to ensure the availability of weapons and the presence of cadres as stipulated in the agreement,” the defence PRO said.

He said that the Union Minister asked the Kuki militants to abide by the provisions of the agreement to maintain peace. “Pursuant to the Home Minister’s directions, security forces have evolved detailed plans to launch large-scale combing operations for the recovery of snatched weapons besides surprise checks of the designated camps of Kuki militants,” he said.

The Home Minister announced on Thursday that an inter-agency unified command headed by Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, a retired IPS officer and former CRPF chief, would be formed and would impartially conduct all security related operations. There are 2,266 Kuki cadres staying in different designated camps in Manipur after the Centre and the Manipur governments signed the tripartite Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with three outfits — the Kuki National Army (KNA), Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) — on August 22, 2008.

Meanwhile, officials in Imphal said that curfew was relaxed for 7 to 12 hours in most of the districts, including Imphal West and Imphal East districts. There is no curfew now in Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul, and Kamjong districts. Manipur had witnessed unprecedented ethnic violence since May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in 11 hill districts by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. It was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers by the state government from reserve forest land, which led to a series of smaller agitations in four districts. (IANS)

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