Security measures were tightened in all trouble prone areas in Manipur ahead of the Black day observation on Tuesday in memory of about 900 Kuki tribals killed during the ethnic cleansings by the Naga armed outfit, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in 1993.
All police stations and camps of the paramilitary forces in areas where there are mixed populations are kept in red alert. Besides central forces are patrolling in their respective areas.
The main functions of mass prayers in the churches and protest marches in the Kuki dominated areas are being organised by the Kuki Impi Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO).
S. Haokip, general secretary of the KSO said, "All Kuki families will offer prayer for the victims of the pogrom. Apart from the mass prayers there will be processions by the men and women in mourning dress".
For a long time KIM has been demanding justice to the innocent victims. It had insisted on settlement of victims' issue before an agreement is signed between the Indian government and the NSCN(IM).
The NSCN(IM), which had started the ethnic cleansing from 1992, had issued a quit notice to the Kukis from the "land of the Nagas" effective from September 15, 1993.
However, two days in advance on September 13 some armed persons suspected to be NSCN(IM) militants torched Joupi and Janglomphai villages. The armed persons waylaid the terrified fleeing Kuki villagers and massacred 87 of them.
KIM says that so far justice has not been done to the innocent 900 victims of the pogrom. Many Kuki villages were also burned to cinders during the clashes. Several innocent Naga tribals were also killed in retaliations.
--IANS
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