Today, Sunday, the Indian army announced preliminary losses of 54 people and the displacement of about 23 thousand people as a result of inter-ethnic clashes in the north-east of the country.
Thousands of soldiers were sent to Manipur state after a protest march led by a tribal group turned violent on Wednesday, with authorities blocking the internet and issuing “extreme” shooting orders to try to contain unrest.
The army also announced on Sunday that no clashes were recorded overnight and the curfew from 7 to 10 am in Churachandpur district, one of the main areas of tension, was lifted.
The army statement added: “Over the past 24 hours, the army has significantly increased its surveillance efforts” by deploying drones and warplanes in the Imphal Valley.
He continued: “To date, a total of 23,000 civilians have been rescued and transferred to operational bases – military barracks.”
The demands included recognition by the government of the tribe as a “Scheduled Tribe”.
Indian law gives tribes under this classification quotas for public office and university admissions as a form of affirmative action to eliminate structural inequalities and discrimination.
Source: AFP.