Following new reports of intermittent violence in the tribal-dominated district of Churachandpur, the Manipur government on Tuesday enforced prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 throughout the area for a period of two months. Section 144 is in effect as of December 18 and will stay that way until February 18, 2024.
The prohibitory orders also follow a tribal body’s Tuesday statement that they will bury tribe members who perished during the ethnic skirmishes in a mass grave. Churachandpur, Manipur, has two months of prohibitions in place due to recent violence.
On Thursday, the relatives of the 64 victims of the tragedy received their bodies. Since early May, the bodies have been housed in official mortuaries.
MANIPUR VIOLENCE
Since May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was held in the hill areas to protest against the Meitei community’s desire for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, more than 150 people have died and over 3,000 have been wounded in ethnic violence. In addition to the Manipur Police, over 40,000 central security officers were sent in to quell the unrest and restore order to the state.
Three former high court justices were appointed to a commission by the Supreme Court in August to investigate relief and rehabilitation. Out of all the people who died during the violence, just 81 remains have been claimed, according to the committee’s findings. The Manipur government was ordered by the court in November to arrange for the burial or cremation of corpses that had been identified but had not been claimed by December.
