The last of the Kuki-Zo people, who had stayed put in Imphal after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, said they were forcibly evicted from their homes by security forces in the early hours on September 2.
A source in the defence forces said the families were provided safe passage from New Lambulane in Imphal East to Motbung in Senapati district on a special request by the civil administration. The source said the tribal people had stayed there for a long period and had become “vulnerable targets”.
Around 300 tribal Kuki-Zo families who had living in the New Lambulane area in the heart of the State capital gradually left after ethnic violence began on May 3, except for five families comprising 24 members who stayed back. The lane, few kilometres from the Chief Minister’s residence, was guarded round the clock by Central security forces and the Indian Army.
On August 27, an empty home belonging to a Kuki family was set on fire by miscreants. The flames engulfed a few Meitei homes too, leading to a strong protest by locals, with the police having to fire tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd.
S. Prim Vaiphei (78) told The Hindu that he did not vacate the house in which he had been living since 1990, even at the peak of violence. “We faced objections from all sides. The Meitei did not like our presence, the Kukis also wanted us to leave. The security forces also made requests time and again asking us to move to another location. However, late on Friday, they just arrived at our door and we were asked to immediately vacate the house. I couldn’t even carry an extra pair of clothes or toothpaste or a sweater or a jacket,” Mr. Vaiphei said.
He added that all the five entrances to the Kuki locality were guarded by Central security forces. “Since May 3, we have been locked in our homes. The northern side of the lane is adjacent to a Muslim locality and the southern side has Meitei presence. Our supplies and essentials were coming from the Muslim side. We never stepped out to other parts of the city,” Mr. Vaiphei added.
Some families had been settled in the area for more than 100 years. Lambulane derives its name from lambu (clerk) as it’s home to the fourth generation families of clerks who served in the Manipur Durbar.
Mr. Vaiphei said they were herded into an Army vehicle, taken to the Assam Rifles camp in Motbung 25 km away, and had to spend the night on a cold floor under a tent.
“This was my only home. My ancestral home was burnt down in the current wave of violence,” Mr. Vaiphei said, adding that he is currently at the house of his wife’s relative.
Another resident, Hejang Kipgen, said many of them were woken up from sleep and pulled by their arms into the waiting vehicles with only the clothes they were wearing.
“We expressed our strong displeasure at this high-handed abduction-like forcible evacuation executed against our will. We regret that a country like India is unwilling to ensure the life and security of its citizens at the place of their residence, succumbing to the intimidation of chaotic forces trying to destroy the society and the State,” Mr. Kipgen said.
Ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and majority Meitei community has claimed more than 160 lives, and over 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes, since May 3.
