GUWAHATI/IMPHAL: The bodies of 64 people who died during the ethnic violence in Manipur more than seven months ago were airlifted on Thursday for the last rites.
The airlifting of the bodies followed the Supreme Court’s November 29 directive to the Manipur government seeking “decent and dignified” disposal of unclaimed bodies of those killed in the ethnic conflict.
Officials in the State said 60 bodies of people belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were flown from Imphal to specified locations in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts. Similarly, the bodies of four Meiteis were flown from Churachandpur town to Imphal.
The bodies were lying at the morgues of two hospitals in Imphal and one in Churachandpur. They were taken out amid tight security at both places and handed over to members of their families at the destinations.
According to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), 41 bodies were flown to Churachandpur and 19 to Kangpokpi, both Kuki-majority hill districts. Two helicopters made several sorties to transport the bodies.
Mass burial
“The mass burial of 19 of our people will take place at Phaijang village in Kangpokpi on Friday,” an ITLF spokesperson said.
The date for the last rites of the 41 others in Churachandpur has not been finalised.
The Committee on Tribal Unity, a Kuki-Zo organisation, announced a 12-hour “total shutdown” in Kangpokpi district from 5 a.m. on Friday for the funeral services.
A committee constituted to review humanitarian aspects, including compensation and rehabilitation, said there were 88 unclaimed and six unidentified bodies in different parts of Manipur. The bodies were not claimed earlier due to security reasons after the violence divided the State ethnically.
Soon after the last of the bodies reached Churachandpur, the ITLF asked the Kuki-Zo people to refrain from overtly conspicuous Christmas and New Year celebrations “during these hard times”.
“All communities and churches [are] to observe muted Christmas and New Year celebrations by observing just the normal church service and not organise feasts and fellowship events,” it said in a statement.
Some 200 people were killed and more than 60,000 displaced in the ethnic violence, which broke out on May 3 after a tribal solidarity march.
On Wednesday, some former Manipur MLAs led by Okram Joy called on Governor Anusuiya Uikey to demand a “government that functions”. They said the situation in the State would not have spiralled out of control had the government worked according to the provisions of the law and the Constitution.
“The removal of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is the only way out,” former Minister and senior Congress leader K. Ranjit said.
