1. Kangpokpi District in Manipur hosts a solemn mass burial for the Kuki-Zo community.
2. The ceremony, themed “You Sacrifice Your Today For Our Tomorrow,” occurs at Martyr’s Cemetery in Phaijang village.
3. A 12-hour total shutdown is observed across the entire Kangpokpi district, directed by the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills.
Imphal, Dec 15: In Kangpokpi District of Manipur, a solemn mass burial ceremony for the Kuki-Zo community’s deceased will take place under the theme “You Sacrifice Your Today For Our Tomorrow.”
The event, scheduled at Martyr’s Cemetery in Phaijang village, will witness a 12-hour total shutdown in the entire Kangpokpi district, as mandated by the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills. Additionally, residents are instructed to hoist black flags in every household to observe the day as a mourning day.
The mass burial ceremony is set to commence at 11:00 a.m., honoring the homecoming of 19 Kuki-Zo bodies that were flown in via an IAF Chopper from Imphal, marking almost eight months since the widespread violence erupted in the state on May 3.
In total, 23 Kuki-Zo bodies, including the 19 flown home and four untraceable bodies, will receive a dignified and honorable burial under Kuki-Zo customs and traditions.
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During the burial ceremony, Kuki-Zo volunteers will pay condolences with a gun salute, emphasizing the significance of the occasion. Thangtinlen Haokip, the Information and Publicity Secretary of CoTU expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for intervening and understanding the sentiments of the Kuki-Zo communities.
Acknowledging the long and challenging eight months filled with despair and heartbreak, Haokip stated that the fallen Kuki-Zo brethren will finally find their resting place in their homeland, and the Committee on Tribal Unity is committed to honoring them with the highest burial rites.
The 12-hour total shutdown announced in connection with the burial ceremony is a plea for cooperation from the general public, with exemptions granted for emergency services and funeral parties. The Kuki-Zo community across the district will observe a night of mourning at the Martyr Cemetery, where the bodies are laid to rest.
