Over 2,000 people flee to Assam for safety after fresh violence in Manipur
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Over 2,000 people are reported to have been displaced from Manipur’s Jiribam district due to the recent eruption of violence, raising concerns for neighbouring regions, including Assam’s Cachar district, which shares a border with Jiribam. The displaced people include members of the Kuki and Hmar communities, both sub-groups of the larger Zo tribe, as well as some Meiteis.
Security forces in Assam’s Cachar district have heightened their alert status in response to the growing influx of refugees.
Kaushik Rai, the MLA from Assam’s Lakhipur constituency, reported that around 1,000 displaced individuals have sought refuge in Cachar, with numbers steadily increasing.
In an effort to prevent the unrest from spreading into Assam, Rai, along with the district commissioner and the superintendent of police, held a meeting with various community leaders in Lakhipur.
The area is home to a diverse population comprising Bengalis, Hindi speakers, Bengali and Manipuri Muslims, Biharis, Dimasas, Hmars, Kukis, Khasi, and Rongmei, among others. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, the officials underscored the need for Assam to remain unaffected by the conflict.
To bolster security in the Lakhipur subdivision, Cachar SP Numal Mahatta announced the deployment of special commandos. The heightened security measures aim to manage the influx of refugees and prevent any potential spillover of violence.
The unending violence in Manipur has caused residents in the area to flee with their families to neighbouring places, daring the untenable terrains of the region with no hope of returning to their homes.
The number of refugees in Hmarkhawlien continues to grow, with around 400 people now seeking shelter there. The displaced residents remain uncertain about when it might be safe to return home.
Within the Jiribam district, local authorities have established six relief camps, providing shelter for 918 individuals as of Monday. These camps, set up in sports complexes and schools, predominantly house Meiteis who were relocated by police and Assam Rifles following the destruction of their homes on June 8.
