GUWAHATI: The bodies of 64 persons who lost their lives during the ethnic violence in Manipur more than seven months ago were airlifted to Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Imphal on Thursday for the last rites.
Sixty of the victims belonged to Kuki-Zo community and their bodies were lying in the morgues of two hospitals in Imphal. The bodies were airlifted to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, both Kuki-majority districts.
The bodies of four Meiteis, lying at the morgue of a hospital in Churachandpur, were taken to Meitei-majority Imphal and handed over to their families. The bodies were taken out under tight security cover at both places. According to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, 41 bodies were flown to Churachandpur and 19 to Kangpokpi. Two helicopters made several sorties to transport the bodies.
The funeral services for the 19 victims in Kangpokpi will be held on Friday. No date has been finalised yet for the last rites of the 41 others in Churachandpur. Kuki-Zo Organisation Committee on Tribal Unity announced a total shutdown within Sadar Hills-Kangpokpi from 5 am to 5 pm on Friday in view of the funeral services. It sought people’s cooperation toward this end. The shifting of the bodies followed a direction from the Supreme Court. On November 29, it had issued directions to the Manipur government for “decent and dignified burial” of the victims.
According to a committee constituted to review the humanitarian aspect including compensation and rehabilitation, there were 88 unclaimed and six unidentified bodies lying in different parts of the state. The bodies were not claimed earlier due to security reasons after the violence tore the state apart.
Meanwhile, ITLF advised Kuki-Zo tribals to keep Christmas and New Year celebrations low-key. It asked them not to indulge in overtly conspicuous celebrations and other forms of enjoyment “during these hard times”. “All communities are to observe muted Christmas and New Year celebrations by observing just the normal church service and not organize feasts and fellowship events,” it said. The ethnic violence, which broke out on May 3, has killed nearly 200 people and displaced over 60,000 others so far.