AIZAWL: Manipur based Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of various civil societies and student organizations of Kuki-Mizo-Hmar-Zomi group, on Monday demanded the imposition of President Rule in the violence-hit Manipur following fresh violences in the past few days.

A statement issued by the tribal body also demanded the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for allegedly being responsible for the ongoing unrest in the state.

Also read: Manipur: Amit Shah arrives at Imphal, to hold talks to check hostilities

The forum vehemently condemned the state forces’ action and urged the Centre to deploy additional central armed forces in the strife-torn state in order to protect innocent villagers.

It alleged that the BJP led Manipur government headed by N Biren Singh had been carrying out ethnic cleansing since May 3 against the tribal people.

Several tribal villages were burnt down and many innocent tribals were killed in the alleged ethnic cleansing, it said.

Also read: Manipur: 22 people held with weapons while trying to torch house in Imphal

The forum further alleged that valley (Meitei) underground cadres disguised in Manipur Police uniforms were the perpetrators leading the endless horrific crime against the tribals.

It also refuted Singh’s claim that the tribal underground groups under Suspension of Operation (SoO) were involved in the clashes.

“While the SoO groups are in their designated camps, the poor tribal villagers defending their villages with just a handful of single barrels guns and a few licensed guns were collected from them by the Army leaving them helpless or leaving them to die at the hands of the state-led machinery,” the forum said in the statement.

Also read: Manipur violence | PM has not uttered a word so far: Congress leader P Chidambaram

Anguished at the ongoing ethnic killings and cleansing, the security forces at present have even started combing operations in tribal villages after allowing looting of arms from 7 Manipur Rifles, 8 Indian Reserve Battalion, 3 Indian Reserve Battalion, Manipur Police Training College, and 9 Manipur Rifles, it said.

Earlier on Sunday, Manipur Chief Minister had claimed that at least 33 Kuki militants were gunned down by security forces since May 3.

Meanwhile, 8,282 internally displaced people from Manipur have fled to Mizoram and taken shelter in nine districts of the state, officials said.

Also read: Manipur violence | Two police commandos killed in gunfight, houses torched

Kolasib district near Assam border hosted the highest number of internally displaced people at 2,925, followed by Aizawl district at 2,738 and Saitual district at 2,257, they said.

The remaining 362 people took shelter in Champhai, Khawzawl, Serchhip, Mamit, Lunglei and Hnahthial districts, they said.

Also read: Manipur violence | 33 ‘militants’ gunned down as part of measures taken to restore peace