Manipur: Bodies of 87 Kuki-Zo victims cremated amid tight security
A total of 87 people were killed in the ongoing conflict in Manipur. expect.
The youngest victim, buried in the martyrs’ cemetery of Kuki-zo in Sehken, near the city of Churachandpur, was one month old and the eldest was 87 years old, both murdered in the first wave of violence in May.
Thousands of people gathered to pay tribute to the victims of violence in and around Churachandpur district, first at a condolence meeting held at the Peace Ground, where 87 Atauda lies were laid to rest and where speakers pledged to promote the demand for a separate Administration for Kukis – “People with fresh enthusiasm that it was impossible to live with the Meiteis after succeeding in Mayo”.
At least 194 people have been killed and more than 67,000 displaced since the conflict began on May 3 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo people.
While the condolence meeting was going on, the bodies were taken to the cemetery in 36 trucks provided by the Assam Rifles for the last rites.
Residents of Churachandpur said that there were major traffic jams at various places and that people offered floral tributes on the way to the cemetery, and said that the Kuki-Zos put up traditional flags and flags in front of their residences, while the Kuki-Zos put up banners and black handkerchiefs. Keep also. .The bandwagon mourns the dead.
The district administration on Monday night imposed Section 144 of CrPC for two months to avoid any adverse incident following a fight between two tribal groups of students.
Sources said prohibitory orders were not lifted on Wednesday and strong security measures were deployed, but refugees came out in large numbers as civil society organizations had “insured” the district administration that incidents related to this would not be on a large scale. The system was “developed without problems”, and this ensured it.
Residents said that as per tradition, members of different Kuki-Zo tribes built one grave each for the “87 martyrs” instead of using JCB-like machines offered by local contractors.
A church member said the youths used stones and mortar to dig graves. The district administration improved access roads to underground space “in collaboration” with civil society organizations.
The organizers also saluted the 87 martyrs who were shot because they died like martyrs.
Muan Tombing, secretary-general of the Foro de Leaders Tribales Indígenas (ITLF), told The Telegraph on Wednesday night after an exciting day of finals that there was a sense of relief after the mass destruction.
“This is a big relief for all of us. The affected families can live in peace and there will be some form of closure for them. “There are many restrictions for the families in the funeral procession until the body is released into the sea,” he said.
Mizoram’s newly elected Prime Minister Lalduhoma expressed his condolences late on Wednesday night, describing the dead as “martyrs”. “Finally, today the sacred ceremony was held for our 87 brothers and sisters in Sehken village of Churachandpur district. May the souls of our martyrs rest in peace. #Recuerdo #ManipurViolence #Martyrs”.
