Are Meiteis leaving Mizoram over Manipur clashes? Officials assure them of safety amid exodus reports
Members of the Meitei tribe living in Mizoram have reportedly opted to flee the state amid growing unrest in neighbouring Manipur. Following an 'advisory' by an ex-militant’s association in the northeastern state, the state government had held a meeting with leaders from the community on Saturday. The Mizoram government has assured Meiteis of their safety and security in the state.
Reports suggest that a large number of Meiteis are fleeing Mizoram amid growing outrage over the naked parading and molestation of two women in strife-torn Manipur. Apart from the message shared by an organisation of former militants, many also see the possibility of violence during an upcoming rally. Violence in Manipur began after the tribal solidarity march on May 3 and the Meitei community remains afraid that something could go wrong after a proposed protest rally by civil society groups on July 25.
A few thousand Meiteis - mostly from Manipur and south Assam - live in Mizoram. Official records indicate that dozens have also left for their home states over the weekend. More than 160 people have lost their lives and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a "Tribal Solidarity March" was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
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