GUWAHATI: Manipur remembered the victims of the bloody ethnic conflict on its second anniversary on Saturday by organising different programmes in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki hills.People observed a shutdown in the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley responding to the call of an organisation, ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity’ (COCOMI) to attend a public convention. A similar shutdown was observed in the Kuki hills at the call of two Kuki-Zo student organisations.COCOMI organised the public convention at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, where a large number of people turned up. The speakers, including scholars, eminent personalities and leaders of civil society organisations, called for peace, justice, resolution of the conflict and protection of the state’s territorial integrity.The Kuki-Zo tribals marked the day as “Separation Day.” The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum organised a programme at the ‘Wall of Remembrance’ in Churachandpur district in memory of the victims. A large number of people, including leaders from various civil society organisations, attended the event. The Kukis had raised pitch for “separate administration” for the community following the outbreak of the ethnic violence and they have stuck to this demand.Security was tightened in different parts of the state. However, no untoward incident was reported.The ethnic violence had erupted on May 3, 2023, after a solidarity march which was taken out in the hill districts by tribals protesting the state government’s alleged move to grant Scheduled Tribe status to the majority Meitei community.
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