Manipur: Curfew Relaxation Cancelled in Border Town of Moreh

IMPHAL: The Tengnoupal district authorities in Manipur have decided to cancel the daily curfew relaxation in the Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh in Manipur. An order issued by the District Magistrate of Tengnoupal, Krishan Kumar, on Monday cited the likelihood of public gatherings and canceled the curfew relaxation that previously allowed people to purchase essential items, including medicines and food, from 6 am to 5 pm.

However, curfew relaxation in the rest of the district will remain in effect from 6 am to 5 pm, the order specified. It also clarified that the order would not apply to government agencies responsible for enforcing law and order.

The decision to cancel the curfew relaxation came after large groups of people gathered in Moreh, a town predominantly inhabited by the Kuki community. They began cleaning market sheds that were previously used by the Meitei community, intending to repurpose them for their use. Security forces intervened in response, leading to altercations and increased tension in the area, according to official sources.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), an apex body of tribals in Manipur, reiterated its demand for a separate administration (equivalent to a separate state), saying that it is increasingly apparent that coexistence with the Meiteis is an untenable proposition. Highlighting some recent incidents of violence, senior ITLF leader and spokesman Ginza Vualzong claimed that the Meiteis have “driven us out of their valley, subjected us to violence, and attacked our villages. Coexistence with the Meiteis is an untenable proposition”.

“The ITLF denounces the grave injustice inflicted upon the Kuki-Zo people in the strongest terms. The selective application of justice further reinforces our demand for a separate administration,” he told the media. Vualzong said that on October 8, a video surfaced on the internet depicting the horrific burning alive of an unidentified man belonging to the Kuki-Zo community. “In the distressing seven-second video, a man dressed in a black T-shirt and camouflage pants is seen being burned, while voices in the background converse in Meitei language. Gunshots can also be heard in the video. The video is a harrowing testament to the ethnic cleansing campaign against the Kuki-Zo community by the majority Meiteis in Manipur,” Vualzong said.

Also Read: Centre Assures Supreme Court of Imminent Appointment of Chief Justice of Manipur HC

Also Watch: