The ongoing unrest in Manipur has intensified the demand for a separate campus of the Manipur University (MU) because students and staff belonging to the Kuki-Zo community no longer feel safe on the varsity’s Imphal campus.

The Manipur University Eimi Welfare Society (MUEWS) vice-chairman P. Biakthang told The Telegraph from Delhi that the demand for a MU (South Campus) had been approved by MU authorities in 2017 to cater to the growing demand for higher education among the state’s tribal students.

“In 2017, the MU Academic Council had also taken the decision for setting up the Hill Campus in Churachandpur for the south districts of Manipur. Land has also been donated by a person,” he said.

“However, the ongoing unrest has only seen the demand get stronger, purely from the safety aspect of students and staff from the Kuki-Zo community... after what we went through between May 3 and 5, when the varsity was targetted by mobs. Churachandpur is the safest location for us,” Biakthang said.

The unrest, which entered its second month on Saturday, has officially claimed the lives of 98 persons from both the warring communities (Meitei and Kuki) besides leaving 310 injured and 36,450 in relief camps. Another 8,878 affected people are taking shelter in neighbouring Mizoram.

The MUEWS, an organisation representing the Kuki-Zo students and staff of the varsity located at Canchipur, about 6km from Imphal city, has submitted a separate memorandum to the office of the Union home minister in Delhi on May 26, and to the offices of the President and the Prime Minister on May 27 with their demand for a MU (South Campus) in Churachandpur district.

The MUEWS memorandum has highlighted the attacks on the MU campus, and the number of students, teaching and non-teaching staff affected by the ethnic unrest with photographs of their vandalised rooms.

That the affected students and staff, around 400, do not want to return to the MU, a state university which became a central varsity in 2005, has also been articulated in the memorandum.

Seeking the intervention of the Centre to “save our future”, the MUEWS has listed five following demands:

■ Creation of Manipur University (South Campus) in Churachandpur.

■ Transfer of all the teaching and non-teachingstaff, students, and contractual staff affected by the recent ethnic violence to the said Campus.

■ Immediate opening of a university office in Churachandpur town where the affected can continue to perform their assigned duties till the proposed campus starts functioning. If this is not possible, they should be immediately absorbed and allowed to report to the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and the Mizoram University, Aizawl.

■ If the proposed South Campus takes time, all students and research scholars should be immediately absorbed/admitted to central universities of their choice so they are able to continue their studies

■ Compensation for all looted and destroyed items during the attack on the MU campus.