After the Supreme Court’s direction on November 28, for ‘ensuring dignified burial’ of those who died in incessant ethnic violence since May 2023 in Manipur, a mass burial will take place in Manipur today.
On Thursday, 64 bodies of those who died in the violence were handed over to the victims’ families. The bodies were airlifted from mortuaries at Imphal and Churachandpur. Manipur has been violence-ridden since May, hence the families of victims were not able to take the bodies from mortuaries.
Of the bodies airlifted, 60 belong to the tribal Kuki community while the other four are of Meiti community which are being brought back from Churachandpur.
In its Nov. 28 order, the apex court’s bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra had directed the Manipur government based on the Gita Mittal Committee report. The committee was formed by the Supreme Court in August to oversee the humanitarian conditions in the state.
According to news reports, the death toll in the state officially touched the 175 mark in September while more than 1100 were reported injured.
Manipur Violence:
In May 2023, the Manipur High Court recommended that the government should consider the demand of Meitis. The Meiti group accounts for half of the state’s population and has been demanding for a Scheduled Tribe tag.
The violence broke out after the people of Kuki-Zo community protested against the Court’s directive saying that the Meitis have always enjoyed economic and social opportunities living the valley region.
Demographics of Manipur:
Manipur has an area of around 22,327 km2 which isdivided into hills and valley. As per the last census of 2011, the state has 33 recognized tribes while four others were added in the list in 2018 making it 37.
Meitis account for 51 percent of the state’s population and live in 10 percent of geographical area.
Kukis and Nagas, combined, live on 90 percent of the land with a share of 40 percent population of the state.
In a recent development, the Government of India and Government of Manipur signed a Peace Agreement with United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest valley-based armed group of Manipur.
