People from Churachandpur, Moreh, Imphal shifred to safer areas to save lives: Manipur CM

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday asserted that his government shifted people from ethnic violence-hit areas such as Churachandpur, Moreh and Imphal to safer places to protect them.

Responding to the opposition's queries on shifting of people from Churachandpur and Moreh to Imphal Valley and from the state capital to hills, Singh said, "The night violence broke out (May 3), we couldn't sleep. We were in the office discussing things to be done immediately."

"Those affected in Moreh were kept at an Assam Rifles camp and those in Churachandpur were in the Secretariat. Initially, we thought of keeping them there itself but there were constant cries for help and there was pressure from all sides claiming the affected were not safe in their present locations. Hence, with saving lives being our top priority, the government decided to evacuate them," he said.

Questions are now being raised as to why they were shifted from Churachandpur and Moreh to Imphal Valley and vice versa but had they not been shifted and had there been unfortunate incidents, it would have raised a different question, and created much frustration, the CM said.

Singh, said "Mobs numbering tens of thousands had assembled and you cannot simply fire on the people indiscriminately."

"There are plenty working to sabotage the peace process. Only a day after peace initiatives were announced in Jiribam district, there were incidents of arson. There were many who still want the conflict to continue as well as build it up," he alleged.

"Still, we are seeing signs of peace. Recently, 133 people who had fled their homes in Jiribam have returned to their respective homes. We are working to ensure that those displaced also return to their homes," he said.

More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless after ethnic violence broke out between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hills-based Kukis since May last year.