Shruti Suman
The scheduled mass burial of tribal victims involved in a three-month-long ethnic conflict in Manipur was postponed on Thursday due to discussions between community members and the Union Home Ministry. Enhanced security measures had been put in place in the Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts ahead of the planned event.
“We held an extensive meeting last night until 4 in the morning due to a recent development. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) requested a five-day delay for the burial. They indicated that if we comply, we would be permitted to conduct the burial at the same location, and the government would legalize the land for this purpose. A similar request was also made by the Chief Minister of Mizoram,” stated the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF).
“After thorough deliberation with various stakeholders late into the night, we have decided that we will consider the MHA’s request under the condition that they provide us with a written assurance concerning five demands. If this assurance is not provided by the start of the program, we will proceed with the planned burial. However, if the MHA provides a written assurance for our demands, we will proceed with the program but postpone the burial,” the statement added.
Ginza Vaulzong, a spokesperson for the ITLF, informed NDTV, “Our five demands include legalizing the burial site, refraining from deploying all Meitei state forces in the hill districts to ensure the safety of the Kuki-Zo communities, transferring the deceased bodies of Kuki-Zo communities from Imphal to Churachandpur due to the burial delay, expediting our political demand for complete separation from Manipur, and relocating tribal jail inmates from Imphal to other states for their safety.”
In its statement, the Home Ministry said, “The Government of India is aware of the issue regarding the final rites of those who lost their lives in the ethnic violence in Manipur. The government urges all parties involved to maintain peace and communal harmony and assures that it is committed to resolving this matter amicably to the satisfaction of all parties within seven days.”
The mass burial was originally planned to occur near Haolai Khopi in the Churachandpur district. According to ITLF sources, the ceremony would have involved 35 bodies, some of which had been held in the morgue for nearly three months.
Anticipating a significant tribal gathering during the mass burial, local law enforcement had deployed additional security forces at the site and surrounding areas to prevent any potential escalation of violence.
The mass burial announcement faced opposition from Meitei civil society groups. Organizations like the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) expressed disagreement with the mass burial and encouraged the Kuki community to perform last rites for the deceased in their native villages.
COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba criticized Kuki leaders for “politicizing the deceased” and stated that “conducting a collective cremation to create a mass grave at abandoned Meitei villages would not only inflame sentiments on both sides but also serve as a lasting symbol of hostility among the villagers.”
The conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the largely Christian Kuki minority in Manipur has resulted in at least 120 deaths since May, although some believe the actual toll could be higher.
The violence is rooted in issues such as competition for land and public employment opportunities. Rights activists have accused local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for their political benefit, a claim disputed by local authorities. This crisis has contributed to a cycle of retaliatory attacks involving killings, arson targeting homes, churches, and temples, and a deepening divide between the two communities.
