The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), an umbrella group of tribals in Manipur, on Saturday, wrote a letter to opposition alliance INDIA, seeking its support for their demand of a separate administration and implementation of President's rule in the violence-hit state.
The development comes on a day when a team of the opposition bloc visited the riot-hit town of Churachandpur in Manipur where they met Kuki leaders and members of the civil society besides ethnic strife victims in the relief camps where they were lodged.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority Meiteis and tribals, that have left over 150 people dead. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
"We fervently appeal to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take up our cause and apprise the nation about our plight.
"We implore you to help us survive this onslaught by supporting our demand for a separate administration from Manipur and to urge the central government to introduce President rule immediately in Manipur to end the violence," the ITLF said in its two-page letter to the opposition parties.
The ITLF alleged that thousands of weapons looted from state armouries in capital Imphal are being used in the "ethnic cleansing campaign".
It said blockade of the only national highway leading to the hills of Churachandpur, the state's largest district, also means that lakhs of tribals are facing shortage of essential commodities and medicine.
Since the start of the violence on May 3, the ITLF said it has recorded 119 confirmed deaths, mostly innocent civilians, among the tribals with over 7,000 homes burnt, 359 churches destroyed and more than 40,000 tribals displaced.
'Was Centre sleeping till now?'
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters after visiting a relief camp, "They are talking of investigation by CBI (into the crimes committed)... I would like to ask were they (central government) sleeping till now?"
TMC leader Sushmita Dev said the team will speak with representatives of both the communities. "Everyone's voice must be heard. We will be talking to both Kukis and Meiteis."
Teams from the delegation flew to Churachandpur in two helicopter flights. The team led by Chowdhury visited a relief camp set up at the Boys Hostel of Churachandpur College.
Another team, comprising Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and others, went to a relief camp at Don Bosco School in Churachandpur.
"We are here to spread the message of peace," Gogoi said.
After returning to Imphal, the team led by Chowdhury will visit a relief camp at Moirang College in Bishnupur district by road to meet victims from the Meitei community.
The other team of opposition MPs will go to the Ideal Girl's College relief camp at Akampat in Imphal East district and will visit another camp at Lamboikhongangkhong in Imphal West.
On Sunday morning, the delegation of opposition MPs will meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan to discuss the ongoing situation and possible measures to bring peace in Manipur at the earliest.
The team is scheduled to return to the national capital on Sunday afternoon.
Besides Chowdhury and Gogoi, and Dev, the delegation includes JMM's Mahua Maji, DMK's Kanimozhi, Jayant Chaudhary of RLD, Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD, N.K. Premachandran of RSP, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Aneel Prasad Hegde (JD-U), CPI's P. Sandosh Kumar and CPI(M)'s A.A. Rahim among others.
Rally held to protest against demand for 'separate administration' by Kukis
A massive rally was taken out in Imphal on Saturday to protest against the demand for a 'separate administration' for areas inhabited by the Kuki community. Tens of thousands of demonstrators from across five valley districts of the state participated in the rally.
The protest march, organised by Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), began at Thangmeiband in Imphal West district and culminated at Hapta Kangjeibunand in Imphal East, covering a distance of 5km.
Holding aloft placards, demonstrators raised slogans against those who demanded separate administration, and against "illegal immigrants from Myanmar".
Notably, ten MLAs from the Kuki community in Manipur had, in May, demanded a separate administration, stating that the administration had miserably failed to protect the Chin-Kuki-Zomi tribals.
Kukis, who have demanded a separate administration, have however not made clear the definition of a separate administration as also the areas for which they are claiming such a dispensation.
The committee that organised the rally was also against the ongoing talks, reportedly being held in Delhi, between a home ministry team and former Kuki militants.
(With PTI inputs)
