Curfew has been lifted from five districts of Manipur and relaxed in other areas, following the announcement of a peace plan by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This comes a day after Shah warned of strict action against those who failed to surrender arms in the violence-hit state.
In response to the Home Minister’s warning, Manipur’s police reported that 140 weapons had been surrendered, out of the 2,000 weapons looted from the police armoury during the recent wave of ethnic violence.
Amit Shah, during his four-day visit to Manipur, met with various groups and cautioned that those who did not surrender their arms would face consequences. He also announced an investigation into the violence and the formation of a peace committee as part of the efforts to restore stability in the state.
The surrendered weapons included AK-47s, INSAS Rifles, tear gas, sten guns, a grenade launcher, and various types of pistols. These weapons, classified as service pattern weapons, are prohibited, according to a senior police officer.
Amit Shah emphasized the need for militant groups to comply with the Suspension of Operations (SOO) rules, warning that action would be taken if these rules were violated. The Centre had signed the suspension pact with two Kuki groups in 2008, but they had not surrendered their weapons as agreed upon.
Additionally, a probe into the violence will be conducted by a panel led by a retired Chief Justice, while a peace committee, headed by the Governor and including security advisor Kuldeep Singh and members of civil society, will work towards restoring peace in the state.
The ethnic violence in Manipur began after a protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Tensions were further exacerbated by conflicts over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land. The state has witnessed a series of clashes between insurgents and security forces, resulting in over 80 deaths so far.
With the state government struggling to contain the situation, protests demanding the dismissal of the Chief Minister and the imposition of President’s rule have been held by members of the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo tribes.
