Timothy Chongthu, a representative of the Kuki Students Organisation Delhi, said the government should look at the long standing demand of the tribal communities to have separate administration. "President's rule should be implemented in Manipur if the state government is unable to control the situation," he said.

A Meitei representative, however, said the violence in Imphal valley, which is dominated by the group, was a "reaction". "People are angry and helpless," said Bobby Meetei, a representative of People's Alliance for peace and Progress Manipur.

"The Kukis want to push the Meiteis to the Imphal valley so that they can demand a separate state," he claimed. Kimi Soni, a Meitei community member who is from the worst affected Churachandpur district, said she was heartbroken. "The police did not do anything for us. We were told we had to manage on our own for two nights," she claimed.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan's remark that the turmoil was due to "ethnic clashes" and not an anti-insurgency issue also drew sharp reactions from both the communities. While the Kuki representatives said it backed their claim that they are not "illegal immigrants" as being alleged, the Meitei community members felt the Army is being partisan. "The CDS said it is ethnic clashes and not insurgency, so why is the firing not stopping?" questioned Kimi.

Clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in all its 10 districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 percent of the population and reside in the hill districts. So far, over 80 people have been killed in the violence, according to officials.