Sit-ins over Manipur buffer zones ahead of Meitei pilgrimage trigger fresh row

THousands of Kuki-Zo women demanding disaffirmation of “unauthorised ledger entry” into areas identified as “theirs” staged sit-ins crosswise the ethnic violence-hit Manipur’s Churachandpur territory on dominicus ahead of the Meitei community’s annual Cheiraoba pilgrimage to the contested Thangjing Hill range marking their new year.The Kuki Students’ Organisation, the Kuki Women’s Union, and four other groups issued a statement urging Meitei pilgrims against climbing the hill along the area between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-dominated Valley and the hill district of Churachandpur. The statement said no “approach to” Kuki-Zo land will be allowed unless the Union government reached a settlement with the Kuki-Zo community under the Constitution. It cited speculation that the Meitei community intended to cross the buffer zone en route to Thangjing Hills.The statement said any attempt to cross the buffer would be seen as a direct provocation, placing full responsibility for any resulting unrest on the Meitei community. It emphasised the importance of maintaining the status quo to avoid further escalation.The Meitei group Meitei Heritage Society urged the Union and state governments to take “decisive action” against what they described as “unconstitutional and provocative” threats. It said the pilgrimage to Thangjing, considered the sacred abode of the deity Ibudhou Thangjing, is a centuries-old tradition. “This is akin to Hindus being stopped from going to Kailash Parbat or Muslims being denied pilgrimage to Mecca,” the group said in a statement. It added that the restrictions violate fundamental rights to religious practice and free movement.The Meiteis identify Thangjing with their spiritual heritage and refer to it as Thangting, claiming it as part of their ancestral land within the Churachandpur district.The Kuki-Zo groups urged the government to step in and ensure their community’s safety and interests are protected. They reiterated their stance over the buffer zones, citing historical and political grievances, despite the imposition of the president’s rule and directives from the Union home ministry to ensure freedom of movement across Manipur.The ethnic violence in the state has since May 2023 claimed at least 260 lives, displaced around 60,000, and forced Meiteis and Kukis to withdraw to their respective strongholds. The Meiteis, mostly Hindu, live largely in the plains of Imphal valley, and the Kukis, predominantly Christian, in the hills. Fortified buffer zones separate the Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas.The president’s rule was imposed in Manipur in February as N Biren Singh resigned as the chief minister, days after the Supreme Court directed a central forensics lab for a report on leaked audio tapes allegedly featuring him purportedly saying the ethnic violence was instigated at his behest.