Imphal: There was tension in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Friday after a couple of organisations decided to bury the bodies of nine tribals killed allegedly in police firing last September.
The bodies have been kept in the morgue for 165 days now.
Sources said the UPF and KNO decided to bury the bodies and that the state government supported the idea. But the Joint Action Committee, which is spearheading the protest, said it still stood by the charter of demands and other preconditions it had laid down to resolve the land bills and the "tribal martyrs" issue.
February 13th was the day the two organisations decided for the burial but some of the locals have formed a ring outside the morgue to prevent anyone from entering the place where the bodies are kept.
On 31 August 2015, the Manipur Assembly passed three bills in response to a demand for reintroduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) by the valley people -- the Meiteis living in four non-hill districts -- to stem influx of migrants into the State. They were the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015.
Next day, a violent demonstration took place in Churachandpur town against the bills by the hill people -- those occupying the six hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel, Sadar Hills and Churachandpur. They alleged the bills will give the Meitei-majority state government "sweeping powers" to not only take away their traditional rights over their land, as granted by the Constitution, but also eventually compromise their tribal identity.
Police allegedly opened fire against the demonstrators when they took to the streets. Nine people, including an 11-year-old boy were reportedly killed.
Protesters have refused to bury them till their charter of demands are met, which includes Manipur government withdrawing the bills and the central govt granting them autonomy.
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