Manipur marks 2 years of ethnic violence with shutdown, memorials
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Imphal: Life came to a grinding halt in the Imphal Valley Kuki-majority hill districts on Saturday as people marked two years of ethnic violence that erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023.
Markets downed shutters, education institutions were closed, vehicles remained off the roads, and attendance in offices was almost nil. Pharmacies were shut in Imphal.
The "Peoples' Convention" marking two years of violence in the state was held at Khuman Lampak stadium complex organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), while the Kuki-Zo community observed a solemn 'Day of Separation' with memorial events at the Wall of Remembrance and Sehken Burial Site in Churachandpur.
In Imphal, a candlelight vigil to honour the victims was held at Kangla later in the evening. A similar programme was also held in Kangpokpi organised by the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF) and the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO).
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The violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, and has continued since then, had claimed over 260 lives, injured over 1,500, and displaced more than 70,000 people.
Deep scars of the conflict lie embedded in the lives of thousands still living as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in overcrowded relief camps and prefabricated shelters.
Despite the resignation of N Biren Singh as chief minister and the imposition of the President's rule in Feb, normalcy remains elusive and community demands have hardened. While the Kukis want a separate administration, Meitei groups demanding NRC implementation and deportation of "illegal immigrants" have become even more rigid.
Even as arms and ammunition were surrendered, armed groups have increasingly taken control of both the communities, fuelling extortion and recruiting disillusioned youths.
Meanwhile, skill development and govt's livelihood initiatives to ease the overwhelming psychological distress and economic despair faced by displaced families are of much help for IDPs in relief camps.
As the shutdown marks a grim anniversary, hope remains a distant dream for Manipur's displaced — still yearning not just for peace, but for a return to dignity, stability and home. The IDPs in both camps wish to return to their own homes where they once belonged. And that has become a distant dream for now.
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