‘Houses burned down, around 5,000 Meiteis homeless’: claims PAPPM

The People’s Alliance for Peace and Progress, Manipur, an organization working for Meiteis, on Monday claimed that 5,000 people belonging to the community have become homeless in the state’s violence-hit Churachandpur district.

Sectarian violence broke out in the northeastern state on May 3 when people from the Meitei community and the Kuki tribe clashed with each other over the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to the death of at least 54 people.

In a statement, the organisation alleged that all houses belonging to Meitis in the community settlement area in Churachandpur have been burned down by “well-armed civilians supported by militants”.

“The Meiteis are taking refuge at the DC office of Churachandpur district headquarters which has very loose security. None of the refugees have been evacuated so far,” it said and added that 5,000 people from the community have become homeless.

The organisation also claimed that in Moreh town, almost every Meitei house has been burned down and some Meiteis are taking refuge in Myanmar and the rest in an Assam Rifles camp at Khudengthabi.

The clashes broke out after the Kukis organised a demonstration in 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meiteis’ demand.

So far, 23,000 people have been rescued from the violence-hit areas and moved to military garrisons and relief camps, officials said.