Manipur: Kiren Rijiju appeals for peace, says acts of force will only worsen situation

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that efforts are on to work towards the restoration of peace and order in the northeastern State. The minister also appealed to people in Manipur to abstain from any form of violence. In an open letter written on behalf of the North East Member of Parliament Forum, Rijiju, who is also chairman of the body extended condolences to families of those who have lost their loved ones in the incidents in the State recently. “The pain caused by the loss of lives and properties is irreplaceable, and our hearts go out to those who have been affected by these tragic events. We understand that emotions are running high at this moment, and people may be induced to violence. However, we appeal to every member of the community to abstain from the use of force or any kind of violence. Such acts will only exacerbate the situation and cause more harm to innocent people,” the union minister wrote. “We believe that every life is precious, and we are committed to working towards the restoration of peace and order in the affected areas. We are aware that our efforts will be incomplete without the cooperation of the public. Hence, we appeal to all members of the society to kindly help us in our endeavours to restore peace and order,” he elaborated. As per the official figures close to 60 people lost their lives while more than 230 were injured and close to 1700 houses were burnt down during the violence that erupted on May 3. We urge all members of the community to come together during these difficult times and work towards restoring peace and harmony in our society, the Cabinet Minister appealed. Meanwhile, officials told the PTI that a total of 3,583 people from Manipur fled to Mizoram after ethnic violence broke out last week, These people were lodged at temporary relief camps across six districts of Mizoram, while many were also given shelter by their relatives, they said. A total of 1,351 people has taken shelter in the Kolasib district, 1,214 people in the Saitual district and 934 others in the Aizawl district, a statement said. The remaining 84 people took shelter in Champhai, Serchhip and Khawzawl districts, it added. Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The clashes were preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. With inputs from PTI. Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.