- Manipur witnessed a new wave of violence last week.
- Mitte residents vandalize property on Sunday.
- Imposing an indefinite curfew; Mobile phone services have been suspended.
GUWAHATI, India – At least one person has died in the past 24 hours during the third straight day of ethnic unrest in the restive eastern border state of Manipur, a government official said on Monday.
The state, with a population of 3.2 million and located on the border with Myanmar, was exposed to a new wave of violence over the past week, as part of a long-term conflict between the Kuki and Mite ethnic communities. The bloodshed has killed at least 250 people and displaced 60,000 people in the region since May last year.
Residents of Meitei in Jiribam district took to the streets late Sunday night, vandalizing properties in response to the recent killings of women and children from their community, a state government official said.
“Some protesters were trying to vandalize properties, including the offices of the (national) political parties BJP and Congress,” said the official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. Adding that one of the demonstrators “died in a police operation.”
Tensions were renewed last week when a 31-year-old woman from Kuki was burned alive. Kuki groups blamed the Meite militants.
An indefinite curfew was imposed on Saturday and internet and mobile services were suspended until at least November 20 after protesters attempted to storm the residences of several lawmakers including Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh.
The Kokis accused Singh, a member of the Meitei tribe and a member of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, of complicity in the violence against them and demanded his dismissal. Singh denies these accusations.