Churachandpur: A silent coffin march was today held at Lamka town in Churachandpur District organised by at least 13 conglomerate students’ bodies of the Kuki-Zomi tribals joint by thousand clad in black to mourn and commemorate the departed souls from its community in the ongoing ethnic conflict that began on May 3, almost completing two months now without any sign of respite.
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The silent coffin march, a symbolic act of empty coffins paid rich tribute to the departed souls from the Kuki-Zomi community received a gun salute by Village Defence Forces as they joined the march clad in camouflage, sending out a strong message that they are prepared to defend their people.
Several of the bodies from the Kuki-Zomi tribals who fled the ravage of ethnic violence fell prey in the valley Imphal. Most of their bodies still lie unclaimed in RIMS and JINIMS morgues, and other hospitals located in the capital. Similarly there are bodies that lie in Churachandpur morgue, both places now inaccessible for the communities in conflict-torn state.
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The District wide silent coffin march cum condolence service which began at around 10:30 am from District Hospital morgue saw thousands of people form human chain as they marched the streets culminating at Toibung Peace Ground in Lamka. The Kuki-Zomi tribals continued to reiterate their demand for Separate Administration.
The ethnic conflict in Manipur has killed over 100 people from both the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities and displaced over 60,000 in Manipur.
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