The army stated Sunday that 23,000 people had escaped ethnic violence in northeast India, which had killed at least 54 people. However, there had been no additional “major violence” overnight. The disturbance in Manipur state erupted when a tribal group’s protest march prompted skirmishes last week, with vehicles and residences set on fire and officials firing tear gas. The military has deployed thousands of troops to the Myanmar border state, given “shoot-at-sight” orders in “extreme cases,” imposed curfews, and cut off internet access. The army claimed on Sunday that no big flare-ups were reported overnight, and that a curfew in Churachandpur district, one of the main flashpoint locations, was removed between 7 and 10 a.m.
Authorities have not released an official death toll, but hospital mortuaries in Imphal and Churachandpur have recorded a total of 54 deaths, according to local media. The thought of the state’s majority Meitei people becoming acknowledged as a “Scheduled Tribe” has riled tribal groupings. This designation would entitle them to a specific number of government employment and college admissions as part of an affirmative action programme aimed at tackling structural inequality and prejudice. In India’s northeast, ethnic and separatist groups seeking greater autonomy or possibly secession from India have caused decades of conflict, with at least 50,000 people killed in Manipur since the 1950s. Conflicts have subsided over time, with numerous factions reaching agreements with New Delhi in exchange for greater influence.
Post Your Comments