AIZAWL: Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga, on Friday (May 05), said that his government is taking steps to evacuate state residents stranded in the violence-hit neighbouring Manipur.
“Efforts are on to charter flights to evacuate state residents, especially students and employees stranded in the neighbouring state,” the Mizoram chief minister said.
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Mizoram CM Zoramthanga urged the central and Manipur governments to make more efforts in order to end mob violence in the neighbouring state.
The Mizoram chief minister also said that he urged his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh to ensure safe return of the tribal people in Imphal to their native villages in Churachandpur and other districts.
Zoramthanga also assured safety of the people of Manipur living in Mizoram.
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On Thursday (May 04), Zoramthanga wrote to his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh and also had a telephonic conversation with the latter over violent clashes in several parts of Manipur.
Also read: Mizoram CM urges his Manipur counterpart to end violence
He had also conversed with union home minister Amit Shah urging him to send additional deployment of central armed forces in the violence-hit Manipur.
The Mizoram home department has activated help line numbers 0389-233427/2335359 (Landline), 9862899962 (Whatsapp) and 8787784958 (Mobile) for state residents stranded in Manipur.
Assuring the Meitei people living in Mizoram of safety, the Mizoram home department also appealed to them to engage in peace-building measures in order to restore normalcy in the violence-hit areas of the neighbouring state.
“The Mizoram government calls for peace and harmony to be restored in Manipur. While expressing solidarity with the Zohnahthlak community, the Mizoram government appeals to all cross sections of society in Mizoram to work towards maintaining peace, and to do away with any such elements that may escalate or aggravate the present situation,” the Mizoram home department said in a statement.
It further said that the home minister is closely monitoring the situation and developments so as to ensure that no untoward incidents occur in the state.
Also read: Manipur violence | Over 11,000 affected people taking shelter in Army & Assam Rifles garrisons
Violent clashes took place in several parts of Manipur following a “tribal solidarity march” organised by the tribal people in tribal areas under the aegis of All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) on Wednesday (May 03).
The tribal people were protesting against the eviction of tribal villages from reserved forest and a move to include the majority Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
Leaders of ATSUM alleged that violent clashes broke out when some miscreants burned the Anglo-Kuki War memorial gate in Churachandpur district of Manipur after the solidarity march had ended peacefully on Wednesday.
Several houses and churches in Imphal, Churachandpur and other parts of the state were either burned or vandalised by mob, highly placed sources in Manipur said.
The Centre has deployed additional central armed forces to diffuse tension in Manipur.