Meitei body’s peace march stopped in Manipur’s Imphal West

A peace march conducted by a Meitei body was stopped in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Saturday as the programme coincided with the government’s initiative to resume inter-district bus services to ensure free movement of people, police said.

Security forces stopped the procession, which was taken out by the Federation of Civil Society Organisations at Sekmai, about 18 km from Imphal, and asked the organisers to join the government’s free movement initiative.

Members of the Meitei organisation insisted that free movement means travel by anybody and demanded that they be allowed to use the vehicles arranged by them.

“If they (volunteers) wanted to participate in the free movement initiative, they could use the vehicles arranged by the government,” a police officer said.

Federation of Civil Society Organisations president T Manihar said, “The purpose of the march is to bring peace to the state. If the government is not in able to allow the free movement of the public, why make the announcement?”

Inter-district bus services resumed on Saturday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently directed security forces to ensure free movement of people on all routes in Manipur from March 8 and also called for strict action against those creating obstructions.

Chairing a meeting to review the security situation of the northeastern state, he said the Centre remains fully committed to restoring lasting peace in Manipur and is providing all necessary assistance in this regard.

This was the first such meeting held after the imposition of President’s rule in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023.

Over 250 people have lost their lives in the violence.