More Meitei houses set ablaze, relief camp closes
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 14 2023:
Amid signs of nor-malcy in the state in the past few days, Meitei houses at Torbung and Govindapur in Bishnupur district were set ablaze on the interven-ing night of Saturday and Sunday by unknown armed persons.
The midnight incident also forced closure of a re-lief camp at Phougakchao Ikhai Mamang Leikai and the inmates shifted to safer loca-tions fearing fresh conflicts in villages not yet affected by the communal violence.
According to the locals, family members of houses burnt down past Saturday midnight were staying in a relief camp at Torbung Mamang Leikai due to fear.
Some unknown persons suspected to be armed Kuki militants fired several rounds before setting their houses on fire around 12:30 am.
In view of the tense situation, the inmates of the camp and those guarding their homes run for life and stayed the night at the relief camp set up at Phougakchao Ikhai Mamang Leikai.
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As there is likely for more violence, both the organisers and the inmates of Phougakchao relief camp shifted to safer places.
One Thangjam Herojit of Torbung Mamang Leikai in-formed that at least 10 hous-es were burnt down and ex-pressed dissatisfaction that central forces deployed in the area did nothing in-spite of the unlawful activities in front of their eyes.
With tear in his eyes Hero-jit said, "Most villagers are illiterate and are daily wa-gers.
The conflict has affected us to a great extent and some have not even taken a proper meal in days.
We have no arm to protect ourselves or prop-er security arrangement.
1111 date, even MLAs have never come forward to extend any assistance".
Herojit recalled that Tor-bung village and other ad-joining ones inhabited by Meitei have always been discriminated upon by the majority Kuki tribe, espe-cially So0 Kuki groups.
As such, several parts of Tor-bung which were under Bishnupur district are now registered as Churachandpur district, he added.
He also appealed to CSOs, leaders and students' or-ganisations help the Meitei communities residing in the periphery areas.