Two churches were among several buildings torched on May 3 as fresh violence erupted between Hill tribals and Meiteis of the Valleys in Churachandpur district in India’s Manipur state.
Tension has spread to other areas as the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur organized a solidarity march in the seven Hill districts to secure what they say is their rights and constitutional safeguards.
It was supported by civil society organizations, tribal hohos or inpis (apex bodies), headmen or chief associations, and church leaders.
Separate demonstrations were held in a few Valley areas against the tribal rallies.
“Just got information that two churches have been burnt,” Allen Brooks, the spokesperson of United Christians Forum of Assam, told Matters India. One is a Kuki Baptist Church and the other belonged to the Presbyterian Church, he said.
Manipur is divided between Hill and Valley areas. The Hill areas that account for 90 percent of the state’s total area are inhabited by Naga and Kuki-Chin-Mizo or Zo ethnic tribes. The Valley areas are dominated by the non-tribals or the Meiteis.
Incidents of arson and stone-pelting were reported from Churachandpur, a Hill district, and the neighboring Valley district of Bishnupur. Several houses were reportedly burnt down.
On May 3, the Manipur government barred mobile internet services across the state for five days to check the spread of hate speech and rumors on social media.
The solidarity march was organized to oppose the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by a section of Meiteis.
The Kuki community has accused the state government of evicting legitimate residents in the state, accusing them of encroaching reserved forest land.
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