Manipur HC Directs Status Quo Be Maintained At Mass Burial Site

Just before the scheduled mass burial of 35 Kuki-Zo individuals who lost their lives in the Manipur violence, a Bench presided over by Acting Chief Justice MV Muralidharan held a hearing at 6 am on Thursday.

In their directive, the court ordered that the proposed burial site in Haolai Khopi village of Churachandpur must maintain the status quo, The Hindu reported.

The Manipur High Court has directed both the State Government and Centre to maintain the status quo, while also granting the Kuki-Zo community the freedom to seek an alternative burial site for their deceased. Furthermore, the court has issued notices to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) and Joint Philanthropic Organizations, scheduling the hearing for August 9.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) had planned to organise the burial programme at the Tuibong peace ground. The ITLF, an organisation of the Kuki-Zo community, had earlier said in a statement that its chairman Pa Gin Haokip would give a farewell speech on the occasion.

More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundred were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), an organisation of the Kuki-Zo community, also agreed to conditionally postpone the burial for five days after requests from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. They said Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga also requested the same.

"We had a marathon meeting last night till 4 am due to a new development. The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) requested us to delay the burial for five more days and that if we comply with that request, we will be allowed to bury in the same location and the government will legalise the land for the burial. The Mizoram CM had also made a similar request," the ITLF said.

"After long deliberation with various stakeholders late in the night, we have come to a conclusion that we will consider the request of the MHA provided they give us a written assurance on five demands," it said.