GUWAHATI: Security has been heightened in Manipur on the eve of the second anniversary of the state’s ethnic violence.Police have intensified the frisking of vehicles at key locations in the Imphal Valley, Churachandpur, and Kangpokpi districts in an effort to thwart any untoward incidents, officials said.Kuki-Zo organisations will observe May 3 as “Separation Day,” while two student organisations from the community have called for a shutdown of all educational institutions, shops, and commercial establishments in Kuki areas on that day.In the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity will organise a people’s convention, where civil society leaders, scholars, eminent personalities, and internally displaced people will deliver speeches. A candlelight tribute will also be held to honour the victims of the conflict.Meanwhile, the Thadou Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Thadou community, has appealed to the public to collectively observe May 3 as “Peace Day” each year, instead of different communities commemorating it in an antagonistic and communal manner.“As we observe May 3 this year and pray for peace, we honour the memory of those who have fallen victim to the tragic violence and extend our deepest empathy to the survivors and their families,” the tribal organisation said in a statement.
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