Bodies of 87 people killed during bitter ethnic violence over the past eight months in India’s Manipur state were buried in a mass ceremony yesterday, a community leader said.
At least 200 people have been killed in the north-eastern state since fighting broke out in May between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community.
Tensions between the two communities have revolved around competition for land and public jobs, with rights activists accusing local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for political gain.
The far-flung state has fractured along ethnic lines, with rival militias setting up blockades to keep out members of the opposing community.
The remains of the victims had been lying in morgues in the state capital Imphal, considered a mainly Meitei-dominated area. |…
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Cape Times (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2023-12-21