Manipur HC orders status quo on mass burial site

Imphal: Hours before a planned mass burial of KukiZomi people killed in Manipur’s ethnic violence, the state‘s high court on Thursday ordered that the status quo be maintained at the proposed burial site in Churachandpur district, while ITLF, an apex tribal body, said it was postponing the funeral service plans by seven days following requests from the Union home ministry.

Meanwhile, 17 people were injured in clashes as Army and RAF personnel fired tear gas shells in Kangvai and Phougakchao areas in Bishnupur district on Thursday to stop processions from proceeding to the proposed burial site violating restrictions on gatherings, officials said.

The district magistrates of Imphal East and Imphal West withdrew curfew relaxations earlier announced, imposing day curfew as a precautionary measure, throughout the Imphal valley.

The Kuki-Zomi organisation, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, had planned the burial of 35 people, who were killed in ethnic riots in the state, on Thursday at a site in Haolai Khopi village of Churachandpur, resulting in tension in many districts of Manipur.

The HC bench headed by Acting Chief Justice MV Muralidaran started hearing the case early at 6 am, given the urgency of the issue and directed the state and central governments and their lawenforcing agencies as well as the public to “maintain status quo” with regard to the land in question.

It also said the matter would come up for further hearing on August 9. The bench took into consideration the “potential of aggravating the already volatile law and order situation and the possibility of igniting a fresh wave of violence and bloodshed due to gathering of a large mob at the land in question”.

The Centre, the state government and aggrieved parties are also directed to make an effort for an amicable settlement in the matter, the bench, also comprising Justice A Guneshwar Sharma, said.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai too appealed to both warring communities- Kuki and Meitei- to maintain peace and communal harmony and said in a letter that the “Centre is seized of the issue of last rites of mortal remains of those killed in ethnic violence” in Manipur.

A spokesperson of the organisation said Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga also made a similar request. Rai assured the organisation of solving the issues related to the burial of the bodies within the next seven days, and accordingly, ITLF postponed its programme, he said.

“We had a marathon meeting last night till 4 am due to a new development. The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) requested us to delay the burial and that if we comply with the request, we will be allowed to bury (35 people) in the same location and the government will legalise the land for the burial. The Mizoram CM had also made a similar request,” ITLF Media Convenor Ginza Vualzong told reporters.

ITLF Officials, who had earlier in the day said they had postponed plans for five days, said that they acceded to the Union government’s request and extended it by two more days.

After long deliberation with various stakeholders late in the night, the ITLF concluded that it would consider the request of the MHA provided “they give us a written assurance on five demands”, Vualzong said.

The legalisation of the burial site in Churachandpur and the withdrawal of state forces comprising personnel from the Meitei community from the hill districts of Manipur were among the five demands made by the Kuki-Zomi organisation. (PTI)