Manipur Police On High Alert As ITLF Plans Mass Burial For Victims Of Ethnic Clashes

On Wednesday, the Manipur police issued a high alert and increased security measures in various areas of the state following the announcement by the ITLF regarding a mass burial ceremony scheduled for Thursday. The ceremony is planned to honor the 35 individuals who lost their lives in the ethnic clashes.

According to sources, a total of 35 individuals who lost their lives in the violence in Manipur will be laid to rest at a peace ground in Tuibuong, Churachandpur district, on August 3. Among the deceased, there are three females and 32 males, with the burial scheduled to begin at 11 AM.

The sources also mentioned that among the 35 individuals, one belonged to the Judaism faith, while two were from the Messianic religion. During the ceremony, a farewell speech will be delivered by Pa Gin Haokip, Chairman of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), and a condolence message will be delivered by Rev. Dr. S Vung Minthang, President of the Christian Goodwill Council.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) serves as an overarching organization for various tribal groups. The ITLF has announced its intention to conduct a mass burial for the "Kuki-Zo martyrs" at the S Boljang village near the Churachandpur-Bishnupur border, scheduled for around 11 am.

However, amid the ITLF's statements about the mass burial of the 35 deceased individuals, the COCOCMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) group accused the Kuki groups of engaging in political maneuvers. They expressed concerns that creating a mass grave could stir up public sentiments. Additionally, women groups staged protests outside the Bishnupur deputy commissioner's office, urging the authorities to halt the ITLF's planned mass burial.

In response to the situation, the state government heightened security measures and deployed additional personnel from various paramilitary forces in the vicinity of the proposed burial site. State police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), and Assam Rifles personnel have been stationed in the area by late Wednesday evening.

Additional security forces have been deployed in the area. Authorities are actively engaging with both Kuki and Meitei groups, appealing to the ITLF not to proceed with the mass burial to prevent escalating tensions and jeopardizing the fragile peace in the state, according to an informed official.

Despite these efforts, the ITLF spokesperson, Ginza Vualzong, confirmed that the burial will proceed as planned on Thursday. The ITLF also issued a statement warning that any group attempting to disrupt the event will be held responsible for the consequences.

On the other hand, the COCOMI urged the Central and state governments to intervene and halt the mass funeral. They accused the ITLF of establishing a mass grave on land belonging to the Meitei community, which has been left abandoned. The COCOMI spokesperson, Khuraijam Athouba, expressed concerns about the potential impact on community relations and called for avoiding any politics associated with the deceased. The Meiteis have already conducted the final rites of their relatives at their homes, and the COCOMI believes that a mass burial site will only fuel tensions and hinder peaceful coexistence between the two communities.

In response to the situation, the ITLF also wrote to the deputy commissioner of Bishnupur, seeking security measures to prevent any untoward incidents during the burial.