NONGPOH:
“We did not expect the conflict to escalate to this extent,” said the displaced Manipuris, who are currently seeking refuge in Meghalaya.
The ongoing conflict between two communities — the Kuki and the Meitei, in the state of Manipur has severely disrupted the people’s way of life, farming activities, forcing many to escape town and seek refuge in nearby states, including Meghalaya.
The inflow of displaced Manipuris has become a cause of concern with traditional heads issuing strict notification to all house owners to inform the authorities and get permission before renting their houses to people coming from outside the state.
Noticing the entry of displaced Manipuris into their villages, headmen of Pilangkita and Maikhuli villages located in Ri Bhoi district met with leaders from the HMAR community and the ZOMI Welfare Association to discuss matters relating to their temporary settlement in the village.
It was emphasised that the villagers should not provide shelter to anyone without informing the village authorities and the police. The headman also expressed the village’s willingness to accommodate the displaced individuals temporarily, as they do not intend to settle permanently.
Many of those seeking shelter were government servants, evangelists, and teachers. The headman added that they should collaborate with the village for the betterment of all.
One of the evangelists, S. Chimpu, who serves as the Decon of the Evangelical Free Church of India, expressed his surprise at the duration and intensity of the conflict in Manipur. He initially expected it to last for only two days, but the situation escalated beyond their expectations. He appealed for an end to the conflict and the restoration of peace, enabling people to return to their homes and resume their normal lives.
The leaders of the ZOMI Welfare Association, under the guidance of Secretary S. K Mung, and the HMAR Community expressed their gratitude to the village dorbar of Pilangkata and Maikhuli, as well as the police authorities, for allowing them to transit and providing temporary shelter to their people.
They also expressed their desire for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, as they empathised with the plight of their own people and did not want Manipur to become a place of violence.