By M.Devanand Sharma
Imphal ( Manipur ), Aug 3 : The Manipur High Court, after an urgent hearing held at 5 AM on Thursday, ordered to maintain status quo ante with respect to a land where the mass burial of 35 Kuki victims announced earlier.
All 35 dead were victims of the ongoing Manipur violence at Torbung Bangla area of the state.
The decision has temporarily deescalated a likely fresh confrontation between the Kuki and the Meitei communities as the land chosen for the burial of the graves, according to local media reports, was being planned where Meitei settlements exist.
Meanwhile, the Manipur high court too intervened in the matter early this morning and asked for status quo, with a hearing at 5 am and an order passed at 6 am. Acting Chief Justice M.V. Muralidharan and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma heard the matter. The matter was heard urgently in thus morning despite being unlisted on the deputy AG’s request, as he said it was possible that large mobs from both communities would confront each other after gathering at the spot soon.
The High Court directed of the Union government, state government and members of both communities to maintain status quo at the site in question till the next date of hearing. Further, the governments have also been urged to try and come up with “amicable settlements” in the matter. The high court has also asked the asked the chief secretary and DGP of Manipur to file their responses on the matter, and will next hear the matter on August 9.
Following the violence that erupted on May 3 in Torbung, several houses of Meiteis residing in that area were set on fire by a Kuki mob, forcing them to flee and take shelter in relief camps. Hence, the ITLF’s decision to carry out the mass burial near the sericulture farm in Torbung Bangla under Torbung Gram Panchayat is being widely seen as an attempt by the core outfit representing the demand for a separate administration for the Kukis to mark the land as a reminder of the area where the first sparks between the two communities took place, as well as to demarcate an unofficial boundary of land under the control of the Kuki community. While Churachandpur is a Kuki-dominated district of Manipur, villages in the Torbung area are located on the edge of the Meitei-dominated Bishnupur district and have a few Meitei settlements.
Earlier this week, reacting to the news about the preparation for the mass burial of the Kuki victims at Torbung, the influential Meitei civil society group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) had, in a press statement, stated that it would be looked at as a provocation by the Kukis for further violence between the two communities.
According to a report in Ukhrul Times, “The displaced people of Torbung Bangla also said that they will return to their village starting August 4, and demanded the government to push away Kuki armed miscreants who have occupied Meitei areas from Torbung Gram Panchayat Ward No 1 to Warn no 6 by August 3.” The report dated August 2 also said representatives of Social Welfare Club and Meira Paibi of Torbung Bangla, in their briefing to the media at Manipur Press Club, cited the areas in Torbung Bangla under the gram panchayat which comes under Bishnupur district but are now in the control of the Kukis.
Thereafter, many Meitei civil society organisations also echoed the demand, most likely forcing the MHA to intervene.
On August 3, ITLF stated that it had “a marathon meeting on August 3 night” to deliberate on the MHA’s request to it “to delay the burial by five more days”.
Significantly, ITLF said, “If we comply to that request, we will be allowed to bury on (at) the same location and the government will legalise the land for the burial.” The statement added, “This request also came from Mizoram chief minister as well.”
It said, “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 (it) have gives (gives) us a written assurance on five demands.”
The High Court order read “we are of the considered view that it will be in the public interest to issue the following directions as an interim measure to prevent any unwanted incident. The State Government and the Central Government and their law enforcing agencies/personnel as well as the public belonging to both the communities are directed to maintain the status quo ante of the land in question till the next date”.
In the meantime, additional Central security forces have been rushed to the Bishnupur-Churachandpur district boundary in Manipur amid a call by a tribal body for the mass burial of 35 Kuki-Zo community members who were killed in the ongoing violence prevailing in the state since May 03.
With additional inputs from agencies.
