Assam Manipuri Students' Body "Advises" Mizos In Barak Valley To Leave

The All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union (AAMSU) central committee on Monday issued a press note to advise the Mizo people living in the Meitei areas of Assam’s Barak Valley to vacate at the earliest “for their own safety”.

According to reports, this comes as a direct response to the advisory of the Peace Accord MN Returnees Association (PAMRA) issued on July 21 which led to the exodus of Meiteis living in Mizoram including students, government employees and others working in the private sectors.

AAMSU said, “The unruly behaviour of Mizoram has already escalated anger among the Meiteis of Assam.” The organization stated that most of the Meiteis living in Mizoram belong from lower Assam, “therefore for their own safety we advise the Mizos living in the Meitei areas of Barak Valley to vacate the area at the earliest time possible.”

The press note from the Manipuri students’ body said that the exodus of the Meiteis which came after the warning issued by the surrendered militant outfit PAMRA is regrettable and that “Mizoram (both government and elite groups) is involved in fueling the violence from the beginning.”

AAMSU accused MZP that it issued a threatening notice to the Meiteis living in Mizoram on April 30 even before the Kuki narco terrorist declared war upon native Meiteis in Manipur on May 3, 2023. “The Meiteis in Assam would extend any possible and necessary support to our kins.”

Moreover, the All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union stated that the recovery of arms and other war like stores in Mizoram by security forces were in fact, meant for Kuki militants to create havoc in Manipur while also alleging that provocative speeches have been made against Meiteis in the name of Zo solidarity.

“At this crucial juncture of the Manipur turmoil we stand in solidarity with our Meitei kins in Manipur who are being attacked by war monger Kuki Zo tribes. The government of Mizoram should stop playing a double game by pretending to show concern for Meiteis on one hand and giving free hand to anti-Manipur activities in Mizoram by allowing to target the helpless Meiteis on the other hand,” added AAMSU.

Meanwhile, it should be mentioned that PAMRA clarified later that the press release issued by them was an “advisory requesting Meiteis living in Mizoram to exercise caution in light of the public sentiments regarding the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur and was not a diktat or a quit notice to Meiteis.”

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