An MoU was signed between the State government and tribal representatives in Churachandpur district of Manipur on Wednesday, ending the impasse over the eight bodies that have been awaiting burial since September 2015. The bodies of the eight men, killed in police firing during a protest in 2015 against three anti-migrant Bills introduced by the State government, have been lying in the morgue for over 500 days.
As per the new MoU, the government shall pay ₹10 lakh each to the nine bereaved families -- one body had been claimed earlier. Government jobs will be provided to a member of each family while the injured persons would be given financial assistance. The eight bodies shall be claimed within May 25.
The Manipur government was represented by Chief Secretary O. Nabakishore. Also present were representatives of the Joint Action Committee, formed by several tribal organisations. The organisations have been spearheading agitations demanding the scrapping of the three “anti-migrant” bills that had been introduced by the State government.
The Congress government had passed the three Bills after a long agitation in Manipur during which one student was gunned down and many others sustained injuries. Tribals in Churachandpur district had launched agitations shortly after the three Bills were passed in the Assembly on August 31, 2015 terming them as “anti-tribal”.
Nine persons had died during the protracted agitations. Houses and properties of the elected members were also burned down over accusations of being "silent spectators and doing nothing to protect the tribal rights".
Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, the main architect of the anti-migrant Bills, had maintained that there is no word or clause which is against the tribals.
