Page 27 - Manipur

Low-key Christmas celebrations in Manipur amid ethnic violence turmoil

Christmas was celebrated in Manipur with Christians attending special prayer services and mass feasts on Monday. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh greeted the people of the state on the auspicious occasion of Christmas. "Let the spirit of Christmas illuminate our lives with love, compassion, and joy", he said in a post in X, adding that "May this Christmas fill our hearts with hope and inspire us to create a better future for all". Pastor Rev Khayaipam of Tangkhul Baptist Church in Imphal said "There will be community celebrations but we have encouraged and requested our members not to indulge in lavish spending and grand feasting. Rather, we have requested them to use the resources to help those who are marginalised in the current crisis and those in need". All Manipur Christian organisations had recently appealed to all Christians in the state to celebrate the festival in low-key in the spirit of forgiveness, peace, love and unity. G Guite, a member of the Baptist Church in .

Ammunition, war-like stores recovered during search operation in Manipur

Based on inputs about the presence of arms in the general area of Kouburu Ridge, in the Noney district, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Manipur Police launched a joint search operation on Dec 23

Section 144 in Manipur's Churachandpur district following fresh violence

The Manipur government has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC for two months in Churachandpur district following fresh violence, according to an official order. Various parts of the northeastern state have been rocked by ethnic strife since May this year. Incidents of sporadic violence were reported from several places in Churachandpur district, especially in Thingkangphai village, on Monday. "There are still chances of breach of peace due to the confrontation between the two groups of people and the situation is still tense," the district magistrate said in an order. The prohibitory orders prohibiting gathering of five or more people and carrying arms were imposed on Monday and it would be in force till February 18, 2024. All efforts have been made by law enforcement agencies to maintain peace in the affected areas, District Magistrate Dharun Kumar S said. More than 180 people were killed since the violence erupted on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March'

Drug mafia, illegal immigrants behind Manipur ethnic violence: CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday blamed drug mafia and illegal immigrants for the ethnic strife that has rocked the northeastern state for months. Singh also attributed the current crisis to the failure of the previous government in guarding the state's borders. Nearly 200 people have died and over 60,000 were rendered homeless due to the ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities since May. The present conflict is engineered by drug mafia groups and illegal immigrants who have suppressed the voice of the original tribes. The war is not between Meiteis and Kukis, but between the government and the illegal immigrants, Singh told a gathering at Lilong in Thoubal district. "Everyday, I keep contact and communicate with my old Kuki friends through phone. They are helpless and unable to speak the truth as they are being intimidated by guns, the CM said. Singh said "more than 6,000 immigrants have entered Kamjong district from Myanmar due to fighting between t

Can't allow setting up illegal villages by foreigners, says Manipur CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said that shelter cannot be denied to those seeking it on humanitarian grounds, but foreigners cannot be allowed to sneak into the state and set up illegal villages. The administration needs to collect biometric details of those who have taken refuge in Kamjong district after fleeing from Myanmar, Singh said. Around 2060 people from Myanmar have reached five places in the border district of Kamjong after fresh violence erupted between the army and alleged militants in the neighbouring country in November, an official said. "We cannot deny shelter on humanitarian grounds. The only thing is to have their biometric details taken and provide shelter to them temporarily. What we have been telling them is not to sneak into Manipur and set up illegal villages, the chief minister said. Singh was addressing the Vijay Diwas programme marking the Indian army's victory over Pakistan on this day in 1971. "We are providing food, medicines and ten

19 victims of Manipur ethnic clashes laid to rest eight months after death

Eight months after they were killed in ethnic violence in Manipur, the remains of 19 people belonging to the Kuki Zo community were laid to rest in the state's Kangpokpi district on Friday. Friends and relatives of the deceased attended the mass burial organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) at Phaijang village. Bodies of 87 other members of the tribal community will be buried on December 20 in Churachandpur district, convenor of the Joint Philanthropic Organisations( JPO) Laldawnlian Varte said. Remains of the 19 victims had been lying in morgues for almost eight months in Imphal. They were finally given an "honourable" burial, the organisers said. Many houses in the Kuki majority district hoisted black flags as markets and business establishments were closed and public transport was off the roads following a 12-hour shutdown called by the COTU to mark it as mourning day. On Thursday, 60 bodies were airlifted to Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts after being shifted

Manipur violence: SC asks state over steps taken to protect religious spots

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Manipur government to apprise the apex court-appointed committee of the steps taken to secure places of public worship in the state where ethnic clashes have claimed more than 170 lives since May. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, while considering the issue of restoration of places of worship, said the state government shall furnish within two weeks to the panel a comprehensive list after identifying religious structures damaged during the strife. The bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, clarified the identification of such structures shall cover all religious faiths and denominations. "The government of Manipur shall apprise the committee of the steps which have been taken to secure the places of public worship," it said. The apex court also asked the committee to prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing the way forward, including with regard to restoration of places of public worship damaged or .

Don't interfere in Manipur's internal affairs: Biren tells Mizoram CM

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has asked his Mizoram counterpart Lalduhoma not to interfere in the internal affairs of the state. Singh said while neighbouring states can extend their support to resolve the ethnic strife in Manipur, he requested the Mizoram chief minister to refrain from commenting on the internal matters of another state. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here on Tuesday, Singh said, "I have seen one comment from the newly appointed CM of Mizoram that the state police should not harrass his people at Moreh. I think it is little beyond his constitutional rights. It is an internal matter of Manipur government." Moreh is a border town located on the IndiaMyanmar border in Tengnoupal district of Manipur. Earlier, addressing a gathering, Singh said, "I had communicated about the ethnic violence in our state with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma and Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio and they had offered their support to resolve the issue and restore ...

Biren Singh urges Mizoram CM not to comment on internal matters of Manipur

Citing Lalduhoma's comments, Singh said "It is beyond the Constitution because it is an internal matter of the Manipur government. He does not know what is happening in Moreh.

Agricultural activities hit in Manipur due to ethnic violence: Govt

Agricultural activities could not be undertaken in 5,127 hectares in Manipur due to ethnic violence, and the Centre has given a Rs 38.60 crore compensatory package to provide relief to affected farmers, Parliament was informed Friday. It was part of the special package of Rs 209.45 crore sanctioned by the Union Home Ministry to the Manipur government, the agriculture ministry said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. "As per the information received from the Manipur government, agricultural activities could not be initiated in about 5,127 hectares of land due to ethnic violence," the ministry said. The Centre has approved "a special package of Rs 209.45 crore to the Government of Manipur. This includes compensatory package for farmers affected by ongoing law and order crisis amounting to Rs 38.60 crore," it added.

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Manipur Congress condemns killings, questions silence of government

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday condemned the killing of 13 persons by armed groups at Leithao village in Tengnoupal district and questioned the state government for its silence over the incident. MPCC chief Keisham Meghachandra told reporters, "The brutal killing of the 13 persons on Monday is very unfortunate. We strongly condemn it." "It's been over seven months since violence began in the state. The failure of the government to tackle the situation is concerning," Keisham said, adding "MPCC is disappointed on the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the incident." "AICC and Congress leaders have expressed concerns on the incident. The double engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state has failed to come come up with any statement. People want to know how long such violence and killings will continue," Keisham said. "The PM always shares his concern whenever there is an incident involving loss of lives

Weapons, war-like stores recovered by forces in Manipur's Churachandpur

The recovered weapons and war-like stores were handed over to Churachandpur Police for further investigation

Gaurav Gogoi gives adjournment notice in LS demanding discussion on Manipur

There is an urgent need to review the current situation and discuss the roadmap for bringing back peace and normalcy in the region," Gogoi said in his notice

Cong leader Jairam Ramesh slams Modi government over situation in Manipur

The Congress on Tuesday targeted the Modi government over the violence in Manipur, saying the situation in the state is far from normal. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur situation. While the Home minister claims that peace has returned to the north eastern state, the ground realities are different, he said. "It has been 7 months now. The situation in Manipur continues to be far from normal. Just yesterday came news of a fresh round of violence which took the lives of thirteen people. Earlier, a public sector bank had been looted and some Rs. 18 crore carried off," he said in a post on X. "The Home Minister claims peace has returned but ground realities are to the contrary. And of course, the Prime Minister carries on with his inexplicable silence on Manipur, along with his refusal to meet with Manipuri leaders or visit the state," Ramesh said. At least 13 people, suspected to be the cadres of the ..

13 killed in gunfight between two groups of militants in Manipur village

At least 13 people were killed in a gun-battle between two groups of militants in Manipur's Tengnoupal district on Monday, officials said. The incident took place at Leithu village on Monday afternoon, they said. "A group of militants on their way to Myanmar were ambushed by another group of insurgents dominant in the area," an official in the hill district said. Security forces reaching the spot found 13 bodies so far, he said, adding their identities were yet to be ascertained but they appeared not to be locals. Tengnoupal district shares a porous border with Myanmar.

Over 75% UAPA cases in 2022 from J-K, Manipur, Assam, Uttar Pradesh: NCRB

Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Assam and Uttar Pradesh together registered over three-fourth of all UAPA cases in India in 2022, while one-fourth of sedition cases were registered in West Bengal alone, according to the latest NCRB data on 'Offences against the State'. Altogether 20 cases of sedition under the Indian Penal Code section 124A were lodged across India in 2022 while 1,005 were registered under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, showed in its annual crime report. Notably, sedition cases have come down since 2020 while those lodged under the UAPA saw a rise in the last three years, according to the data. In 2021, 76 cases of sedition and 814 cases of UAPA were lodged in the country, while in 2020 the figures for the same were logged at 73 and 796, official data from corresponding years showed. Among states and Union Territories, the maximum number of UAPA

Mobile internet restored in Manipur except few areas till December 18

The Manipur government on Sunday restored mobile internet services across the state barring a few areas till December 18, a notification said. "Considering improvement in law and order and inconveniences faced by people due to the mobile internet ban, the state government has decided to relax the suspension," the notification said. Mobile towers catering to services within a 2km radius along adjoining areas between districts such as Chandel and Kakching, Churachandpur and Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Kakching, Kangpokpi and Imphal West, Kangpokpi and Imphal East, Kangpokpi and Thoubal and Tengnoupal and Kakching will still face suspended operations, it said. Mobile internet had been suspended in the state since May 3 following the outbreak of violence in the state.

New chapter of peace, normalcy begins in Manipur: CM on pact with UNLF

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said that a new chapter heralding peace and normalcy has begun in the state with the recent signing of a peace agreement between the Centre and the state's oldest militant outfit United National Liberation Front (UNLF). The peace agreement was signed in New Delhi on Wednesday, ending a six-decade long armed struggle involving the outfit. Speaking at the reception programme of the UNLF cadres, the CM said, "I am really happy... a new chapter has begun to usher in peace and bring unity in Manipur." "I also urge people to extend the same effort, encouragement and support they provided to the UNLF for joining the peace talks, to other groups as well," Singh said. The CM said precious lives of civilians, insurgents and police personnel have been lost in the decades-long insurgency in the state. "Due to violence, several key people have lost their lives. Because of the policy of previous governments that encouraged killings as the only ..

Randeep Hooda, Lin Laishram tie the knot in Imphal; detail inside

Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram had a traditional Meitei wedding ceremony in Imphal, Manipur on November 29. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has now congratulated the newly weds