Meira Paibis stage protest against removal of security from hotspot villages in Manipur

Imphal: Womenfolk (Meira Paibis) of different villages across the state belonging to the warring groups — the Meiteis and Kukis on Wednesday staged protests against the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order for the removal of a few central forces from Manipur.

The protests came after the Union Home Ministry directed central forces to send 100 companies comprising 10,000 troops to West Bengal by April 15, with 25 of these companies being diverted from strife-torn Manipur.

The central government’s new order is being made for the smooth passage of the 18th Parliamentary elections to be started on April 19, 2024.

Several Meira Paibis — the women vigilantes of Kumbi, Saiton, Salankonjin, and Hayaikon villages under the Kumbi police station in Manipur’s Bishnupur district staged a sit-in protests blocking the road near Saiton High School for the second day on Wednesday.

They are protesting against the removal order of 169 CRPF G company battalion from villages.

The womenfolk of these villages residing at the hotspots and red zones of the inter-districts of Churachandpur and Bishnupur said that the close vigil and guards taken by the CRPF personnel during the height of the ethnic violence in the state have saved the lives of several villagers.

Elsewhere at a village under Litan Police Station in Kamjong District of Manipur on Wednesday, a similar protest against the removal of BSF personnel posted at Thawai Kuki village was staged.

A leader of the protesters, Hohoi Haokip stated, “We will sit on the road against the moving out of BSF personnel from our village.”

However, Inspector LL. Tezii, Officer in Charge of Litan Police Station said that as an emergency replacement, police personnel from Ukhrul Police Reserved Line will temporarily occupy the post until another arrangement is made by the concerned authority.

In the ethnic violence between the Kukis and Meiteis that started on May 3, 2023, over 222 individuals lost their lives in Manipur.