Manipur remains tense: 8 trustworthy nuggets among the rumours

Digital Desk: On Sunday, sit-in protests continued in several parts of Imphal. Meitei protesters demanded the NRC, "no separate homeland" for the Kuki-Chin tribes, and "no separate administration," as sought by the 10 tribal MLAs, seven of whom were affiliated with the BJP.

As the situation remained tense, there was little reliable information coming from Manipur, and rumours persisted in Chinese whispers. However, the following eight proven facts about the impasse:

1.    Kukis complain that Imphal, the capital and home to the bulk of Meiteis, does not have an internet censorship law. They contend that if the government wants to stop rumours and hate speech, it should ban social media and VPN services. People have been disproportionately impacted by the internet ban, and professionals who work remotely could lose their employment.

 

2.    The state administration is charged with complicity because it permitted Meitei groups to organise what was purported to be a "peace rally" over the weekend, during which incendiary slogans were shouted. The Kukis claim that while Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code forbids gatherings of more than five individuals, the government yet permits thousands of Meitei protestors to march in procession.

 

3.    On Sunday, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh acknowledged intelligence and administrative blunders and urged the populace and communities to place the responsibility on the state administration rather than one another. The tribal tribes are still dubious and charge him with involvement.

 

4.    4. To settle conflicts, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has promised to facilitate conversations between all communities.

 

 

5.    In an effort to refute assertions made on social media that tribals damaged the temples, the Manipur Tribals Forum, New Delhi, has published video footage from Moreh in which priests at several temples—ISKCON, Tamil Temple, Shiv Mandir, and a Hanuman mandir—deny that the temples were vandalised.

 

6.    The 10 Kuki-Chin MLAs who have wanted a separate administration in the hills on the grounds of irreconcilable disagreements with the tribes have been called for to be fired by Chief Minister Biren Singh. He remarked on Sunday, "They are still family."

 

7.    In a letter to the prime minister, state minister for foreign affairs RK Ranjan Singh urged him to protect Manipur's unity and integrity by taking tough measures against separatists and terrorists.

 

 

8.     While Kuki insurgents continue to target Meitei hamlets in the foothills, Kuki-Chin refugees have persisted in looking for safety in nearby Mizoram.