Imphal, December 15 (IANS): The last rites of the 23 Kuki-Zo tribals, killed in Manipur’s ethnic violence more than seven months ago, were performed on Friday with thousands of men and women, including their kin, attended the mass burial ceremony in Kangpokpi district. Under the theme “You sacrifice your today for our tomorrow”, the mass burial programme was organised by Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills, an apex Kuki civil society organisation in Kangpokpi.
On Thursday, a total of 60 bodies of people belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were flown from Imphal to Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts by Indian Air Force helicopters. Similarly, the bodies of four victims belonging to the Meitei community and lying at Churachandpur district hospital morgue since the ethnic conflict erupted on May 3 were also airlifted to Imphal valley for their last rites. The last rites of remaining bodies would be done in a day or two, a spokesman of the CoTU said.
The airlifting exercises of the bodies which were lying in morgues in Imphal and Churachandpur took place only after the Supreme Court issued a directive last month to the state government for dignified disposal of unclaimed bodies. According to the officials, of the 64 bodies, 60 bodies were lying in morgues of JNIMS and RIMS after the victims killed in the ethnic riot in the first week of May.
