Over 400 Indians who fled to neighbouring Myanmar from the border town Moreh in Manipur when ethnic violence broke out on May 3 have safely returned home, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said today in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Mr Singh thanked the Indian Army for bringing the Indians - all of them from the Meitei community - home safely.
"Relief and gratitude as 212 fellow Indian citizens (all Meiteis) who sought safety across the Myanmar border post the May 3rd unrest in Moreh town of Manipur, are now safely back on Indian soil," Mr Singh said in the post.
"A big shout-out to the Indian Army for their dedication in bringing them home. Sincere gratitude to GOC Eastern Command, Lt Gen. RP Kalita, GOC 3 Corp, Lt Gen. HS Sahi and CO of 5 AR, Col. Rahul Jain for their unwavering service," the Chief Minister said.
Moreh, about 110 km from the state capital Imphal, was one of the worst hit areas when violence flared up in Churachandpur district on May 3 after a protest rally by the hill-majority Kuki-Zo-Chin tribes over the valley-majority Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.
Moreh had a mixed population of Kukis, Meiteis and even Tamils, whose roots go back to colonial times, and thousands from other communities.
The Chief Minister did not say whether the Meiteis are back to whatever is left of their properties in Moreh, or they have been shifted to Imphal valley.
Following the outbreak of the ethnic clash, the Kuki-Zo-Chin tribes have been demanding a separate administration to be carved out of Manipur, saying it is impossible to co-exist with the Meiteis anymore.
A section of the Meiteis who used to live in Kuki-majority hill areas, however, have demanded to be sent home with security.
With the security forces maintaining what they call "buffer zones" - sensitive areas where Meiteis and Kukis can't cross - there is no certain timeline about the return of internally displaced people to the hills and the valley.
Insurgents From Myanmar Civil War Worsen Manipur Ethnic Conflict: Report Exclusive: Manipur Panel Began Identifying Immigrants 5 Weeks Before Clashes Began In May 2023 "Expressed Concern Over Myanmar Instability's Impact On Our Border": S Jaishankar Pics: Rahul Gandhi's Family Lunch At Iconic Delhi Restaurant 3 Khalistani Terrorists, Who Attacked Punjab Cops, Killed In UP Encounter Donald Trump Appoints Indian-American, Elon Musk Aide As AI Advisor Who Is Sriram Krishnan, Indian-American Appointed Donald Trump's AI Advisor Thepla And A Drink: Liquor On 1st Surat-Bangkok Flight Runs Out, Officials Say... "Ran For My Life": Gurgaon Woman Shares Traumatic Experience With Ola Cab Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.