Meitei, Thadou groups back MHA efforts for free movement across Manipur

Guwahati: Five organisations of Manipur’s Meitei and Thadou tribal communities have offered support for the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure free movement of all communities across Manipur. The five organisations, including Meitei Heritage Society and Thadou Inpi Manipur demanded firm action against any entities that block the free movement of all communities, as this is a constitutional right of all people and groups.

The Manipur government recommenced had services on March 8 on four routes connecting five districts — Imphal, Senapati, Kangpokpi, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

Though the buses were escorted by the CAPF, activists of the tribal organisations attacked the buses in different places, including in Kangpokpi district, leading to massive violence.

On March 8, at least 43 people, including 27 security personnel, were injured, and a protester identified as Lalgouthang Singsit was killed during the clashes in Kangpokpi and a few other districts as the Kuki-Zo tribal organisations protested against the resumption of the bus services between Imphal and the hill districts to alleviate public inconvenience and as an initiative to bring back normalcy in the state.

“We reaffirmed to safeguard the integrity, unity, and interests of Manipur as a multi-ethnic state. All parties also recognised the significant roles and contributions of the Thadou people for the protection of the collective interest of Manipur people and the state’s integrity,” the statement said.The statement said that all parties jointly resolved to appeal to the competent authorities for the deletion of the “unconstitutional and ambiguous category Any Kuki Tribes (AKT)” from the Scheduled Tribes’ list of Manipur.