Guwahati: Nearly three months after the ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) on Thursday paid their tribute to the people of the Kuki-Zo community who lost their lives in the violence, which erupted on May 3.
Thousands of people gathered at Peace Ground, Tuibong in Manipur’s Churachandpur district to pay their last respect to the departed soul.
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“We pay tribute to our fallen heroes, who were ruthlessly and savagely killed, mutilated, beheaded, and burned by the state-sponsored #MeiteiTerrorists, comprising of the #MeiraPaibis, #ArambaiTenggol, #MeeteiLeepun and others,” ITLF Media Cell said in a tweet on Thursday evening.
However, the final burial of the mortal remains of the members at Haolai Khopi was deferred for another five days following the intervention of Union home minister Amit Shah.
“We had a marathon meeting last night till 4 in the morning due to a new development. The MHA requested us to delay the burial for 5 more days and that if we comply with that request we will be allowed to bury in the same location and the govt will legalize the land for the burial. This request also came from the Mizoram CM as well,” the ITLF Media Cell said in a statement.
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“After long deliberation with various stakeholders late in the night, we have come to a conclusion that we will consider the request of MHA provided they have given us a written assurance on 5 demands. If the MHA fails to give us this written assurance before the start of the program, we will continue the burial as planned. If the MHA gives us a written assurance rance to our demand, we will continue with the program but postpone the burial part,” the statement read.
The ITLF has raised a point charter of demands to defer the proposed burial ceremony.
The ITLF demanded legislation of the burial site in s Bolijang of Churachandpur, not to deploy Meitei forces in all hill districts for the safety of the Kuki-Zomi community, the bodies which have been lying in Imphal, to be brought to Churachandpur, to speed up the demand for separate administrative set up for kuki-Zomi community and to transfer the tribal jail inmates from Imphal to other states for their safety.
As per a unanimous decision taken by the Joint Philanthropic Organizations operating in Lamka, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) had chosen Haolai Khopi village – a village lying in the peripheral area, bordering Churachandpur district with Bishnupur district, for burying of tribal martyrs who were killed during the ongoing ethnic clashes.
Given the postponement of the burial service, Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi (MTFD) postponed the condolence service supposed to be held on August 5 for an indefinite period.
“This is to inform you all that given the postponement of the mass burial ceremony of the 35 martyrs in Lamka, the Condolence Service being organized by MTFD on Saturday, 5th August 2023 has been postponed till further notice,” the MTFD said in a statement on Thursday night.
On Wednesday, Meitei organisations objected to the burial of 35 abandoned bodies, including 3 women lying in the Churachandpur Government district hospital in a common ground.
The ITLF wished to bury their dead at S Boljang village.
Objecting to ITLF’s decision, the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a forum of the Meiteis, said the burials should be performed in the native village of the deceased.
As per them, “Burying the bodies together in a newly created mass grave at the evicted land of Meitei villages will not only provoke the sentiments of the people on both sides but will also remain as a symbol of enmity between the two neighbouring villages forever.”