Following ethnic tension in Manipur, 600 Meiteis left Mizoram

Aizawl: More than 600 Meiteis left Mizoram due to fear of tension after two tribal women being paraded naked surfaced online recently, a senior police officer said.

Superintendent of police, crime investigation department, special branch Vanlalfaka Ralte said that the Metei people left the state for fear of being attacked after an ex-militant organisation issued an advisory that follows the sexual molestation of two tribal women, who were paraded naked by a mob.

He said that the Meitei also felt insecure due to the solidarity march organised by civil society groups on Tuesday.

According to Ralte, more than 600 Meiteis left for their home states till Tuesday.

There is no report of exit since Wednesday, he said.

However, a leader of the Meitei organisation claimed that the Meitei people continue to exit till Thursday.

All Mizoram Manipuri Association (AMMA) vice president Rambir said that the Meitei people continue to leave Mizoram as they felt insecure due to the recent protest rally by a conglomerate of major civil society organisations across the state.

He claimed that more than 3,000 Meiteis, mostly teachers, students and workers, live in Mizoram.

On Tuesday, the NGO Co-ordination Committee, a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations, including the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), organised massive protest rallies in different parts of the state expressing solidarity with the Kuki-Zo ethnic community in Manipur.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga, his deputy Tawnluia, ministers and legislators cutting across party lines also took at the protest rally in Aizawl.

Police said that there is no untoward incident since the solidarity march.

Recently, Peace Accord MNF Returnees Association had served as an advisory to the Meiteis to leave Mizoram for their own safety as the Mizos became angry for atrocities meted out to the Zo ethnic people in the neighbouring state.