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Manipur is witnessing renewed violence, with the latest escalations being reported from Jiribam district, an area that borders Assam’s Cachar district, after a Meitei farmer’s death was attributed to a Kuki-Zo armed group.
Recently, two individuals from the Hmar-Mizo tribal communities, which are part of the larger Zo tribe, were reportedly killed, and 48 houses and a church owned by tribals were destroyed, displacing more than 800 tribal and 220 Meitei residents.
The immediate cause of the outbreak is believed to be the retaliatory violence by some individuals from the Meitei community against the Hmar-Mizo community following the murder of a 59-year-old Meitei farmer. The suspects in this killing have not been identified, though there are unverified suspicions pointing to Kuki-Zo “militants.” This has sparked a vicious cycle of violence and counter-violence.
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On June 6, in alleged retaliation for the death of a Meitei farmer, some Meiteis reportedly set fire to houses belonging to the Hmar-Mizo community. In response, members of the Hmar-Mizo community burned houses of the Meiteis.
Kuki-Zo groups report that a significant number of armed members from the Meitei extremist group, Arambai Tenggol, and the separatist insurgent group, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), have arrived in Jiribam, escalating tensions in the area.
On June 10, a police convoy heading to Jiribam was ambushed by suspected Kuki-Zo “militants,” injuring one officer, as reported by The Indian Express. The attack occurred on National Highway 37 near T. Laijang village, about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Imphal in the Kuki-Zo dominated Kangpokpi district. Kuki-Zo groups allege that the police were accompanied by men from Arambai Tenggol and UNLF. The incident took place during preparations for an upcoming...