Mass Burial for 12 Kuki-Zo Tribals Conducted in Manipur; Thousands Attend
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Imphal, Dec 5 (NationPress) The final ceremonies for 12 Kuki-Zo tribals, including ten who perished during an encounter with the CRPF in Manipur's Jiribam district on November 11, were conducted in Churachandpur on Thursday.
Thousands of men and women participated in the mass burial, shedding tears amid a complete shutdown in areas predominantly inhabited by tribal communities.
The Chief Minister's Adviser of Mizoram, H Ginzalala, along with key figures from various tribal organizations, members of the Young Mizo Association, and Church leaders were present during the mass burial.
Following memorial speeches, floral tributes, and a gun salute from village volunteers, the 12 bodies were laid to rest at the Cemetery in Sehken village of Churachandpur district.
Dressed in black, thousands of men and women, including the elderly, attended the mass burial, visibly grieving.
Prior to the burial at the Cemetery in Sehken village, individuals from all walks of life paid their last tributes at Peace Ground in Tuibuong.
As reported by the leaders of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), before the funeral ceremonies, the bodies of the 12 Kuki-Zo-Hmar youths were retrieved from the hospital morgue and handed over to their families.
A significant silent rally was also organized, with thousands, including students clad in black and carrying placards and banners, actively participating.
On November 19, many gathered for a 'coffin rally' in Churachandpur, expressing solidarity with the ten Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal Village Volunteers.
Coordinated by various tribal organizations, thousands donned black attire and symbolically carried ten dummy coffins in honor of the ten deceased youths.
After post-mortem examinations of all ten bodies, along with two others, were completed at Assam’s Silchar Medical College and Hospital, the bodies were airlifted on November 16 to Churachandpur, a district predominantly inhabited by Kuki-Zo-Hmar.
Earlier, the Manipur Police claimed that all ten 'militants' were killed in retaliatory fire from the CRPF after they allegedly attacked the camp and the adjacent police station at Jakuradhor village in Jiribam district’s Borobekra sub-division on November 11.
Two CRPF personnel were also injured during the gunfight.
However, the ITLF, Kuki-Zo Council, and Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) contend that all ten deceased Hmar Village Volunteers were engaged in protecting the local population.
