Fresh Violence in Manipur, over 40 “Terrorists” Killed in Clashes with Security Forces
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 28: In fresh violence on the eve of the union home minister Amit Shah’s visit, clashes broke out between security forces and armed militants across different places in Manipur on Sunday with at least 40 “armed terrorists” killed in police action.
Commandos of the Manipur Police have been engaging insurgents for over eight hours in several areas of the state hit by ethnic violence. The Chief Minister N Biren Singh said around 40 militants were killed and a few were arrested as well.
According to state government officials, operations against the armed militants were still ongoing and the casualty figures could increase. At least 40 armed terrorists suspected to be from Kuki militant groups have been killed in violent-hit Manipur in a massive crackdown by state police and security forces in the past 3-4 days, Biren Singh said in Imphal.
The Chief Minister told reporters they have got reports that “40 terrorists” have been shot dead. “The terrorists have been using M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles and sniper guns against civilians. They came to many villages to burn down homes. We have started taking very strong action against them with the help of the army and other security forces. We have got reports some 40 terrorists have been shot dead,” Singh said.
“The terrorists have been shooting at unarmed civilians,” Singh said, adding the fight is between armed terrorists trying to disintegrate Manipur and the state government assisted by the centre. The insurgents simultaneously attacked five areas in and around Imphal valley at 2 am today, sources said. The areas are Sekmai, Sugnu, Kumbi, Phayeng and Serou. There are reports of gunfights going on in more areas and unclaimed bodies lying on the streets.
Doctors at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in state capital Imphal said they have received 10 people injured in the gunfight at Phayeng.
The Chief Minister said the spurt in violent attacks on civilians on the outskirts of Imphal valley in the past two days seemed well-planned and is strongly condemnable, especially when Minister of State Nityanand Rai was in Manipur on a peace mission.
Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Manipur on Monday. He has appealed to both the Meiteis and the Kukis to maintain calm and peace, and work for bringing normalcy. Army chief General Manoj Pande also went to the state on Saturday on a two-day visit to review the security situation.
The continuing ethnic violence between the Meiteis, who live in and around Imphal valley, and the Kuki tribe, who are settled in the hills, over the Meiteis’ demand to be included under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category has claimed over 70 lives since clashed started on May 3 and Manipur has been without internet for over 25 days.
The CM stated that the fresh violence was not between two communities but between armed terrorists trying to disintegrate Manipur. He said the crackdown was against Kuki militant groups who had signed a suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state government in August 2008.
The agreement was signed with 25 Kuki militant groups– (17 of them are under the umbrella group Kuki National Organisation and eight under the United Peoples’ Front). As per the agreement, the cadres of these groups were to be confined to designated camps and their arms were kept locked.
There have been allegations by the BJP-led state government that militants belonging to the SoO groups could be involved in spreading violence in Manipur. On the other hand, Kuki groups have blamed two radical groups, Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun of the Meitei community for the attacks.
Ethnic clashes, which began on May 3 between Kuki and Meitei communities were triggered after the former opposed granting of scheduled tribe (ST) status to the former Manipur’s dominant community comprising 53% of the population. The violent clashes have so far left 74 dead, nearly 300 injured and displaced more than 30,000. Curfew has been clamped in most parts of the north-eastern state, with partial relaxations.
Kuki groups have denounced CM Singh’s claims that militants from their community were involved in fresh clashes and alleged that the crackdown was another attempt to target their community.
The crackdown and operations against armed militants have taken place ahead of Amit Shah’s visit. During his three-day trip, Shah is slated to hold parleys with different stakeholders and find a way to end the present spate of ethnic violence in the north-eastern state.
On Sunday, CM Singh appealed to the civilians of all communities against coming out on the roads so that there’s no disruption in the movement of commandos and security forces. Singh also said he has given a free hand to the state police to act against anyone indulging in violence.
“The spurt in violent attacks on civilian houses in peripheral areas of Imphal Valley in the past one or two days which seemed well-planned is strongly condemnable. Those trying to break the state and disrupt peaceful coexistence are enemies of all the 34 communities residing together in Manipur,” said Singh.
“This is a challenge to the state and its integrity. The government will not allow disintegration of Manipur, protect the state’s integrity and uproot these armed terrorists from the State,” added Singh.
“The clashes took place after the army and para-military forces started operations to take back arms and restore normalcy. Some militants targeted Sekmai, which is on the outskirts of Imphal, forcing residents to flee,” a Manipur government official said.
Due to the fresh violence, curfew hours in both Imphal West and Imphal East districts, which were earlier relaxed from 5am to 4pm, were shortened to 11.30am. In Bishnupur, relaxation in curfew from 5am to 2pm was shortened to 12pm on Sunday.
Around 135 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, have been deployed in the violence-hit north-eastern state to maintain law and order situation.
