Lone Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram, K Vanlalvena, has reiterated the need for imposing President’s rule in strife-torn Manipur to contain the ongoing ethnic violence, an official statement said. Vanlalvena called for the imposition of President’s rule “the first and immediate step” to contain the violence that has claimed over 250 lives since May last year, it said. The Mizo National Front (MNF) MP said the move is the need of the hour to allow the Centre to directly intervene in the matter.

 

“Despite being an MP from Mizoram, I often raised the Manipur issue and the plight of the tribal people there because different tribes of Mizo have settled in Manipur before the British colonisation, and over 6 lakh of them are still living in the neighbouring state,” Vanlalvena said during the all-party meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. Vanlalvena also pointed out the need for setting up a branch office of the UNICEF in Aizawl to deal with refugee and internally displaced children from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur. Earlier, he had pitched for the creation of “separate administrative units” for Meiteis and Kuki-Zos, as well as imposition of President’s rule in Manipur. The ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has claimed 258 lives since May last year, the State Government’s Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh had said. The Kuki-Zo community shares ethnic ties with Mizos. Meanwhile, Manipur Rajya Sabha member Leishemba Sanajaoba had, on Sunday, urged Vanlalvena to not intervene in matters concerning the neighbouring state. “My friend, Don’t cross the line... Please confine in your State issues... Stop interferences in Manipur’s issues... Be a good neighbour,” Sanajaoba had said in a post on X. 

 

The Manipur police have accepted the resignation of Jiribam officer in charge Sagapam Ibotombi Singh, who sought to quit his job a few days ago, official order. It is in Jiribam where the November 11 abduction and killing of three women and three children sparked violent protests. Ibotombi Singh tendered his resignation a day after he was transferred from Jiribam police station to the Manipur Police Training Academy in Imphal on November 14. He had cited “unavoidable circumstances of my family and other reasons” as reasons for quitting the service. “The resignation tendered by Inspector Sagapam Ibotombi Singh, the then OC of Jiribam PS vide his letter on 15.11.2024, is hereby accepted and he is allowed to resign from service with immediate effect,” according to an order signed by Directive General of Police Rajiv Singh. The order issued on November 23 was made public on Monday. Bodies include six Meitei women and children, who were allegedly abducted from a relief camp on November 11 by Kuki-Zo militants from Jiribam’s Borobekra area when a group of Kuki youths were engaged in an encounter with CRPF in which 10 of them were killed. Residences of ministers and MLAs were attacked by protesters in Imphal Valley districts following the incidents.

 

 

The Manipur Government extended suspension of mobile internet services for two days in nine districts till November 27, according to an order issued by the Home Department. After violence escalated in the northeastern state on November 16, the administration suspended the services for two days to prevent anti-social elements from spreading content that might create law and order problems. It has been extended several times since then.

 

“The State Government, after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation, has decided to continue suspension of mobile internet services in Imphal West, Imphal East, Kakching, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl and Jiribam for another two days in public interests,” the order said. Internet services on both mobile phones and broadband were suspended on November 16 after violence broke out in the State following the recovery of bodies of three women and three children. The State Government had lifted the suspension on broadband services on November 19, considering the hardships faced by common people, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other offices.