Explained: After Manipur video horror, why Meiteis fleeing Mizoram

The idyllic state of Manipur has been burning now for two months; the clash between the Kuki tribe and Meitei community has caused damage of untold proportions – hundreds dead, thousands injured, even more displaced from their homes and destruction of property. The tipping point of the violence came on 19 July when horrifying visuals of two women being stripped and paraded naked surfaced from Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. The viral video, it was later learnt, was an incident that took place on 4 May, over a month earlier.

Now, the violence and tensions in Manipur is spreading. The neighbouring state of Mizoram is on edge and ever since the video was released on social media there’s been an exodus of people, causing concern.

On Sunday evening, officials from Manipur confirmed that at least 41 people belonging to the Meitei people had reached Assam’s Silchar from Mizoram, with the Assam Superintendent of Police adding that they would stay there until “the situation normalises”.

What’s causing Meitei people to leave Mizoram? How is Mizoram connected to the issue? What are authorities doing? Here are the answers you are looking for.

Meiteis’ exodus from Mizoram

Since 19 July, the day when the horrific video of the women went viral, there’s been unease in neighbouring Mizoram. Meitei people living and working in Mizoram have started fleeing the state and moving to Assam.

A news report by PTI stated that at least 41 Meiteis had already reached Assam from Mizoram and were currently put up in a building of the Lakhipur Development Block in Binnakandi area. Cachar’s Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta told PTI, “These are all well-to-do families and they came in their own vehicles. Some are college professors, while some work as senior government officials. They said that there have been no attacks in Mizoram as of now.”

Another report by The Hindu said that at last count on Sunday, 56 Meiteis had exited the state of Mizoram, many of them by plane while some had even used buses and taxis.

The Manipur government, too, has said that it is willing to provide flights for those who want to leave Mizoram.

Also read: Manipur Horror: Did the police fail to act on time in the tragedy?

According to a professor at Mizoram University, several Meitei students had left and more were seeking to move away. There is panic among students. Most of my Meitei friends have left for home. Some of us are still here,” said one Meitei student in Mizoram to The Quint.

One Meitei, working in a private company in Aizawl, who was leaving Mizoram was quoted as telling the Indian Express before exiting the state that until now he had not felt threatened in Mizoram, and that the Mizos are “very gentle, very humble”. “But now, many of the Meiteis are running, leaving their belongings behind in their rented houses. Many of the people from Barak Valley are leaving by road, and there are also many people who are seeking shelter at Aizawl airport. People are scared,” he was quoted as telling the newspaper.

Cause of the exodus

The mass departure of Meiteis from Mizoram – there’s around 2,000 of them living in the state – came after Peace Accord MNF Returnees’ Association (PAMRA) — an association of former underground Mizo National Front Militants — issued a statement on Friday asking Meiteis residing in Mizoram to leave “for their own safety”.

The statement, written in Mizo, said that the sentiments of Mizo people were deeply hurt by the violence against the Zo ethnic community in Manipur, and that it is no longer safe for Meitei people to continue living in Manipur.

The press release stated that the Mizo sentiments have been deeply hurt by the violence meted out to the Zo-ethnic community in Manipur.

The PAMRA stated that if any violence should happen upon Meiteis in Mizoram, the Meiteis themselves shall bear the responsibility. “In light of their safety, they will be responsibility if something unpleasant occurs to them,” the release stated.

PAMRA secretary general C Lalthenlova said it was a normal appeal for safety and should not be regarded as a diktat or warning. “We simply appeal to the Meiteis to leave for their state to avoid any untoward incident. We do not serve them a diktat,” Lalthenlova told PTI.

But why did the Peace Accord MNF Returnees’ Association issue such an appeal? That’s because the Manipur’s Kukis share a history with the Zo tribe of Mizoram. Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi people – living mainly in Churachandpur and have a sizeable population in Chandel, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, and Senapati districts – come under the larger umbrella of the Zo ethnic tribes. What this means is that the Kukis and Mizos share the same ancestry.

Also read: Why Mizoram is so concerned by the violence in Manipur

Besides a common ancestry and religion – they are both bound by Christianity – the Kukis also share the memories of the violent Mizo nationalist movement of the 1960s. As the Indian forces cracked down, many of them fled from Mizoram to Manipur, where they have lived ever since.

Official speak

Following PAMRA’s statement, Mizoram’s Home Commissioner, H Lalengmawia, held a meeting with the leaders on Saturday, seeking a clarification. “The PAMRA representatives said their statement was an advisory requesting the Meiteis living in Mizoram to exercise caution in the light of public sentiments regarding the ongoing conflict in Manipur and was not a diktat or a quit notice to the Meiteis,” a Mizoram Government spokesperson said.

The Mizoram government on Saturday also reassured the Meitei community living in the state of safety and told them not to pay heed to rumours.

Also read: Manipur women horror: How rape and sexual violence are used as a weapon in conflict

To ensure peace and law and order, security has been beefed up across Mizoram. Mizoram’s Director-General of Police (DGP) Anil Shukla also held a high-level meeting on Sunday to assess the security arrangements.

Commenting on the issue, Congress’ Kapil Sibal also tweeted on Sunday, “We need a sensitive proactive government. Not a reactive government. Muddying the debate by referring to other states won’t help.”

With inputs from agencies