Imphal/Silchar: The exodus of the Meitei community people from Mizoram continued on Monday, even as the Mizoram government has assured their safety and security.
Around 2,000 Meitei families from Manipur and Assam have been living in various places of Mizoram, including Aizawl, for many years and are engaged in various government and non-government works, studies, and business.
Officials said that around 200 people, including women and children, left Mizoram on Sunday and Monday by road and took shelter in the Cachar district of southern Assam.
Cachar district officials said that these Meitei community people, comprising government employees and small traders, are seeking security from the Manipur government to go to their home state.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the officials to provide relief and shelter to these people.
Some Meitei community people directly went to Manipur on a flight from Aizawl.
The exodus of Meitei community people began on Saturday after an organisation of former militants, the Peace Accord MNF Returnees’ Association (PAMRA), issued an “advisory” on Friday for the Meiteis living in the state.
The advisory, which was construed by some as a diktat to leave Mizoram, has been clarified by PAMRA representatives as simply a request to Meiteis to exercise caution in the light of public sentiments regarding the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
The Mizoram government has also assured the Meitei community of their safety and security. In a statement, the government said that it has been closely following the developments in Manipur and has taken all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Meiteis living in Mizoram.
So far, no incident of violence or untoward incident has been reported involving the Meitei community people in Mizoram.
The Manipur government has said that there is no plan to evacuate the Meitei community people from Mizoram at this time.
Officials urge Meitei community people to stay calm
Officials in both Mizoram and Manipur have urged the Meitei community people to stay calm and not to panic. They have assured the community of their safety and security and have asked them to cooperate with the authorities.
The exodus of Meitei community people from Mizoram is a worrying development. It is important that the authorities in both states take steps to ensure the safety and security of all communities living in the region.