Manipur Government To Open Bus Service With Police Escort Between Key Districts, Warns Against Violence

The Manipur government has decided to again operate inter-district public vehicles under tight security from Imphal to hill districts from Wednesday amid a lull in ethnic violence in the state, according to an official order.

This will be the administration's second attempt to resume public transport service in 19 months in the state which has been witnessing clashes between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the Kuki tribes dominant in Churachandpur and some other hill areas.

"The state government has reviewed the law and order situation in the state with the availability of security forces, response system and feasibility inputs from different agencies and has decided to resume traffic of public vehicles with adequate security deployment," Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said in an order.

Public vehicles will be operated from Imphal to Senapati via Kangpokpi, and from Imphal to Churachandpur via Bishnupur from Wednesday.

While Senapati is a Naga-dominated area, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur are Kuki-dominated areas. Imphal and Bishnupur are Meitei-dominated areas.

The "movement will be restricted to fixed hours only and general public desirous of joining the route are informed to contact respective offices of the Deputy Commissioners," the order said.

"This initiative taken up by the state government is aimed at alleviating grievances faced by the general public in the state," it said.

The state government appealed to the people to cooperate with the administration to this initiative and not to resort to violence.

"Anybody without exemption, if involved in acts which disturb movement of vehicles, will be sternly dealt with and prosecuted as per relevant laws of the land," the order read.

Manipur has remained gripped by recurring bouts of violence since ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis erupted in May last year. At least 258 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since then.

Public bus services between Imphal valley and hill districts also stopped at that time.

In December last year, the government made an attempt to run state transport buses to connect Imphal to Senapati via Kangpokpi, and Imphal to Churachandpur via Bishnupur. However, the initiative did not succeed. Almost empty buses ran between Imphal and Churachandpur while Imphal to Kangpokpi vehicles had to return due to barricades put up on the road by protesters.

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