AIZAWL: Former cadres of the erstwhile underground Mizo National Front (MNF) appealed to the Meitei community from Manipur living in Mizoram to leave the state for their safety as the situation got tense due to ethnic violence in strife-torn Manipur.
The appeal comes in the wake of a video showing two Kuki women being paraded naked by a mob went viral on Wednesday.
In a statement issued from Aizawl on Friday, Peace Accord MNF Returnees’ Association (PAMRA) said that the situation has become tense and it is no longer safe for the Meitei people living in Mizoram due to the barbaric and heinous acts committed by miscreants in Manipur.
“In view of the situation that any thing wrong can happen to the Meitei community at this juncture, the PAMRA appeals to all Meitei people in Mizoram to leave for their home state as a safety measure,” the statement said.
It said that there is strong anger among the Mizos youths, who are deeply anguished over the barbaric and atrocious act of Meiteis against the Zo or Kuki ethnic people in Manipur.
The association also said that they (Meiteis) will hold no responsibility in any case of eventuality if they disregard the appeal and fail to leave for their safety.
Meanwhile, PAMRA secretary general C Lalthenlova said that it was simply a normal appeal for safety and not served as a diktat or warning.
He said that the association is concerned about the safety of the Meitei community in Mizoram as many Mizo youths have now become angry after the video showing two Kuki women being paraded naked went viral.
“We simply appeal to the Manipuris to leave for their state to avoid any untoward incident. We do not serve them a diktat,” Lalthenlova said.
He also said that they did not ask the entire Meitei community to leave but only those from Manipur.
Thousands of Meiteis, including students, mostly from Manipur and Assam live in Mizoram.
Following the PAMRA’s appeal, security has been deployed in some institutions, including Mizoram University, where the Meitei students are studying and teachers are teaching.
Police have also been alerted in all parts of the state.