One year of Manipur conflict: Meitei, Kuki-Zo groups plan events on May 3

Guwahati: Civil society organisations representing the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities lined up events to mark one year of conflict in Manipur on Friday, while two Meitei armed groups, Arambai Tenggol and UNLF on Thursday decided to "work together against forces trying to disturb the state's integrity."

The Co-ordination Committee on Manipur's Integrity (COCOMI), a forum of Meitei organisations, on Thursday said an event titled "365 Days of Chin-Kuki Narco Terrorist Aggression in Manipur" will be organised at the Palace Compound in Imphal on Friday. Activists, academicians, retired judges, journalists and lawyers representing the Meitei community are scheduled to take part.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), an influential Kuki organisation, on the other hand, announced an event named "Observance of One Year Meitei Ethnic Cleansing Against Kuki-Zo" in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district. The theme of the event is "Kuki-Zo Awakening Day." The event will begin with mass prayers in the churches in the morning followed by condolence service and mass floral tributes to those killed in the conflict. The event will conclude with the lighting of candles and lamps between 7pm to 9pm.

The ITLF also announced a "shutdown" and called all residents to hoist black flags to mark the day. It also asked all business establishments, institutions and markets to remain closed on the day as a sign of respect and homage to the "fallen heroes."

Kuki Inpi, the Committee on Tribal Unity and a few other Kuki-Zo organisations also announced similar events in other Kuki-dominated districts like Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal on Friday.

Meitei armed groups "unite"

Arambai Tenggol and United National Liberation Front (UNLF), two Meitei armed groups, on Thursday signed an agreement to remove their differences and resolved to "work together against forces trying to disturb the state's integrity." Sources said the two groups formed a "working committee" for constant communication and vowed to work together to protect Manipur's integrity.

This was seen as a move against the Kuki-Zo organisations demanding a "separate administration" for Kuki-Zo people in Manipur in order to end the conflict with the Meiteis.

Members of Arambai Tenggol were accused of involvement in several attacks on the Kukis since May last year.

A total 224 people, belonging to both Kuki and Meiteis, were killed and over 60,000 have been displaced due to the conflict since May last year. Sporadic incidents of firing have kept the state on the boil despite the presence of a large number of central security forces including the Army.