NEW DELHI: Schools and colleges in Manipur’s Imphal Valley and Jiribam district will reopen on Monday, November 25, after being closed for a week.
The closures were due to prohibitory orders issued in response to recent violence in the state. The directorate of education – schools issued an order stating, “Normal classes will resume for all schools of the state, government, government-aided, private and central schools from November 25.”
The higher and technical education department issued a separate order stating, “It is hereby ordered that all government educational institutions/government-aided colleges under Higher and Technical Educational Department, including state universities, shall resume classes from November 25.” The affected areas include Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Jiribam.
The violence in Manipur, which began on May 3, 2023, was sparked by ethnic clashes during a rally organized by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) opposing the demand to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community. The conflict, primarily between the Meitei community in the Imphal valley and Kuki-Zo tribal groups in the hills, has claimed over 220 lives and displaced thousands.
Recent unrest in Jiribam, near Assam’s Cachar district, followed the discovery of six bodies, including women and children, allegedly abducted by Kuki militants. Protesters accused leaders of failing to curb the violence and opposed the re-imposition of AFSPA. Residences of BJP legislators, including CM Biren Singh’s son-in-law Rajkumar Imo Singh, and other ministers were targeted in the protests.