The outrage that followed a video of two Kuki-Zomi women being stripped and sexually assaulted in Manipur has led to panic among the small community of Meiteis residing in Mizoram, with many of them leaving the state on Saturday. In response to the situation, the Manipur government said it is willing to evacuate them from the state through chartered flight.

The Mizos of Mizoram share a deep ethnic bond with the Kuki-Zomis of Manipur and have been closely watching the developments in the neighbouring state. In fact, 12,584 Kuki-Zomi people from Manipur have sought shelter in Mizoram since the violence began on May 3.

The current panic began after the Peace Accord MNF Returnees’ Association (PAMRA) — an association of former underground Mizo National Front Militants — issued a statement on Friday asking Meiteis residing in Mizoram to leave “for their own safety”. The statement, written in Mizo, states that the sentiments of Mizo people were deeply hurt by the violence against the Zo ethnic community in Manipur, and that it is no longer safe for Meitei people to continue living in Manipur.

There are roughly 2,000 Meitei people residing in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl, including government employees, students and workers. Many of them are from Assam’s Barak Valley.

After the statement came to light on Friday night, an order was issued by Mizoram’s DIG Northern Range, directing that security personnel be deployed to four locations to “ensure safety of Meitei(s) in Aizawl”.

By Saturday afternoon, some Meiteis were already on their way out of the state. Among them was a Meitei working in a private company in Aizawl, who did not wish to be identified. He said he will drive with his family of four to his home in Assam’s Cachar district in his private vehicle, a journey of around seven hours.

He said that till now, he had not felt threatened in Mizoram, and that the Mizos are “very gentle, very humble”. “But now, many of the Meiteis are running, leaving their belongings behind in their rented houses. Many of the people from Barak Valley are leaving by road, and there are also many people who are seeking shelter at Aizawl airport. People are scared,” he said.

The Mizoram Home Department, meanwhile, tried to assure Meiteis living in the state that they are not under threat. Speaking to The Indian Express on Saturday, Mizoram Home Commissioner H Lalengmawia said: “I spoke to the PAMRA today and they said that their message had been misinterpreted. They said that it was not a threat but an expression of concern for the security of the Meitei people, issued in good faith. Because of the effect it has had, we resolved that they will withdraw their statement.”

The Home Department also released a statement in the evening stating that the Home Commissioner met with representatives of the All Mizoram Manipuri Association to assure them of their safety. He also told them “not be misguided by rumours and also persuaded them to inform their fellow Meiteis – both Government employees and students – not to leave the state due to the unfortunate misinterpretation of the press statement”.

Manipur government spokesperson Sapam Ranjan Singh said that the government was in touch with the All Mizoram Manipur Association. “There was tension following the statement and we have been informed that some people have started leaving the state. However, the Mizoram Home Department issued a statement today which might reduce the tension. We are in touch with the association and have assured that if it is needed, we will provide a chartered flight for people to leave,” he said.