Closed Chapters: Manipur Violence Throws Students Into Abyss Of Uncertainty

The months of May and June are summer vacation for schools and colleges in Manipur, as in the rest of India. When ethnic violence broke out on May 3—which shows no signs of ending even after more than three months—school and college premises were turned into relief camps for displaced people. They were also used to accommodate the central armed police forces (CAPF) that were deputed in the state.

According to various media reports, on August 6, additional companies of paramilitary forces were sent after a fresh round of violence in which five people—three Meiteis and two Kukis—died. The latest deployment includes 10 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force, three companies of the Border Security Force and one each of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal in addition to 14 companies that were deployed in May.

With schools and colleges remaining shut, thousands of students are facing an uncertain future. Those with resources have moved to neighbouring states, particularly Mizoram, to continue their education. Some have fled to Shillong and Guwahati, besides other cities and metros across India. However, not all states are welcoming the displaced students.