Amit Shah Meets Manipur Community Leaders In Bid To End Unrest: 10 Points

Dozens of houses were set on fire and gunfights raged between suspected militants and security personnel in several districts on Wednesday as Amit Shah visited relief camps sheltering displaced Kuki tribals and Meitei families in Imphal.

Amit Shah, who is on a four-day visit to the state, also had wide-ranging discussions with civil society organisations and security forces in Moreh and Kangpokpi. Shortly after the meeting, Mr Shah, in a tweet said that the civil society groups have lent strong support for the government's initiatives to restore normalcy in the state.

"Our resolve remains focused on leading Manipur back to the track of peace and harmony once again and their return to their homes at the earliest," Mr Shah said in the meeting, officials said. 

Later, the Home Minister held a security review meeting with top officials and directed them to take stern and prompt actions to prevent violence and recover looted weapons to bring back normalcy at the earliest, his office said in a statement. Chief Minister Biren Singh has warned of legal action against anyone found to be in unauthorised and illegal possession of arms and ammunition.

In a signed statement, the chief minister also appealed to the concerned not to block roads or hinder the free movement of security personnel and relief material. Such roadblocks were making it extremely difficult for security and police personnel to respond to attacks by armed groups on time, Mr Singh said. The Manipur government has extended the ban on internet services for five more days till June 5.

The state witnessed a sudden spurt in clashes and firing between insurgents and security forces on Sunday, after a relative lull for over a fortnight.

With the state government unable to control the situation even after a month, members from the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo tribes on Wednesday held a protest demanding that the Chief Minister be sacked and President's rule implemented in the state.

The ethnic violence first broke out after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 percent of the population and reside in the hill districts. So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.