Tribal bodies lift shutdown in curfew-bound Churachandpur, affected families reach settlement

Imphal/Churachandpur, Mar 18 (PTI) A day after curfew was imposed in Manipur’s Churachandpur district in view of clashes between Hmar and Zomi people, apex bodies of the two communities on Tuesday lifted shutdowns they had clamped there, leading to normalisation of the situation.

During the day, families belonging to Hmar and Zomi communities settled their dispute by reaching a monetary settlement, officials said adding that the expenses of the victim’s medical treatment will be borne by the other side.

General Secretary Richard Hmar of Hmar Inpui, one of the apex bodies of the tribe, was attacked by Zomi people on Sunday, leading to the violence and imposition of curfew the next day.

“Though the prohibitory orders were not withdrawn, Hmar Inpui and Zomi Council, the apex bodies of the respective tribes, decided to work together and restore peace in the district, and the situation is normal now,” an official said on Tuesday evening.

No violence was reported in the district during the day.

According to the official, the animosity between the family of the assaulted man and those of the attackers ended following a monetary settlement.

“The victim’s family was given Rs 50,000 by the other side for holding a traditional and customary peace feast,” the official said.

The two sides also agreed that the culprits’ families would initially pay Rs 2 lakh for the medical treatment of Richard Hmar and provide more money to him if needed.

Both parties also agreed that the violence against one another should not occur in the future, the official said.

Earlier, following a meeting convened by the district administration of Churachandpur, Hmar Inpui and Zomi Council agreed to lift the shutdown and end all activities which disrupt normal life in the district with immediate effect.

In a joint appeal, the two bodies said, "The Hmar Inpui and the Zomi Council call upon the public to calm down and desist from disrupting normal life in the town." The two bodies also agreed to "work together for peace and security of people in the days to come".

The curfew was imposed in Churachandpur on Monday, as a precautionary measure, following clashes between the Hmar and Zomi communities.

According to sources, Richard Hmar was driving a vehicle which almost hit a two-wheeler rider who belonged to the Zomi community. This led to a brief altercation that ultimately resulted in the assault.

In response to the assault of Richard Hmar and clashes between the two communities, the Hmar Village Volunteers (HVV) have imposed a total shutdown in Pherzawl and Jiribam districts.

Pherzawl is predominantly inhabited by the Hmar tribe, while Jiribam is home to multiple ethnic communities, with Meiteis forming the majority.

In an appeal, Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar S on Monday said appropriate actions would be taken to de-escalate the situation and urged for calm and peaceful dialogue between community members.

Notably, more than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in Manipur in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.

The Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation. PTI COR BDC NN