Protest Erupts in Moreh Against Burning of Educational Institutions; Demands Removal of Police Commandos

Large numbers of students, teachers, members of Moreh Private Schools Association (MoPSA), and womenfolk held a sit-in protest today against the burning down of educational institutions by police commandos in Moreh town. A similar protest was also held in Tengnoupal district headquarters.

The agitating students, teachers, and members of MoPSA held placards with messages such as "Give Us a Chance To Go To School By Removing CDO from Moreh,” "We Want Peace, Not Commando,” "PM Modi Ji, Please Open Our School,” "Education Our Birthright,” "We Want the Re-opening of Schools,” "Burning of Educational Institutions is Hatred Towards Mankind,” and "Save Our Schools By Removing Commando." They also shouted slogans like "We Want Normalcy In Moreh,” “Pu Modi Open Our School,” "Pu Union Home Minister Fulfill Our Memorandum,” and "No To Meitei Commandos.”

On January 17, 2024, a fierce gunfight broke out between police commandos and suspected village volunteers in Moreh, during which the police commandos torched several civilian houses, including three educational institutions - Mt. Moreh Public School (Canan Veng Moreh), Bethsaida Academy (Phaicham Veng Moreh), and Dr. Colvin Academy (Phaicham Veng Moreh).

On December 30, 2023, the police commando abducted a teacher from Moreh bazar and mercilessly thrashed and tortured them. On the same day, a gunfight broke out between police commandos and village volunteers near JJ Children Home, Moreh. Peter Holkholal Mate, an assistant teacher at Bethel High School, was unaware of the gun firing as the school is located at Mission Veng, over 3km away from the gunfight area. Unaware of the gunfire, he was on his way home when he was abducted by the police commandos at Moreh bazar. Peter Holkholal Mate, son of Tinnu Mate, is also said to be the Joint Secretary of the MYC (Moreh Youth Club) Unit - IV and an executive member of the St George Parish Youths, Moreh.

The deliberate attack on the teachers and students' community and the burning down of educational institutions forced students, teachers, members of MoPSA, and womenfolk to demand the removal of the perpetrators - police commandos - from Moreh town.

A banner at the protest site reads ‘the deliberate attempt to destroy the educational institutions by burning down 3 High schools in Moreh town by Manipur state forces,’ ‘the total disregard and disrespect towards the future of the children of Moreh and its surroundings trampling the students' right to education by the state and central government,’ and the delay tactics of the removal of Manipur police commandos from Tengnoupal district despite the strong appeal from the people of the district.

The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Moreh Block, Kuki Women Union for Human Rights (KWUHR), and Moreh Private Schools Association (MoPSA) submitted a joint memorandum to the Home Minister, demanding the HM remove police commandos from Moreh to bring back normalcy and to re-open the educational institutions in the border town. The burning of schools and a deliberate attack on the teachers and students' community amid the intermittent gunfight instilled a sense of fear and insecurity in parents and Moreh residents, leading them to refuse to send their children to schools. Moreover, scared by the targeted attack, the teachers and school proprietors are reluctant to resume their normal functioning, and the schools have remained shut since May 3, leaving thousands of students staring at an uncertain future."