Committee on Tribal Unity  considers the resolution to abrogate SoO as "against peace", calls for total shutdown, public rally

Considering the complete constitutional breakdown of law in the valley and the recent Manipur State Legislative Assembly's resolution to abrogate the Suspension of Operations with the two umbrella organizations of the Kuki militant groups, the United People's Front, or the UPF and the Kuki National Organization, or the KNO as "Communalised and against peace" the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District decided to imposed a 24-hour total shutdown in Sadar Hills Kangpokpi district.

The committee also decided to organize a public rally on March 4 to demonstrate resentment over the alleged "communalised and derogatory resolution" adopted by the alleged Meitei-centric Government.

The total shutdown in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi district will begin at 10:00 a.m. on March 4 and culminate at 10:00 a.m. on March 5.

Vehemently opposing the alleged "derogatory and communalised" passed by the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on February 29, CoTU's Information Secretary, Thangtinlen Haokip said that the Committee is astounded at the vile attempt of N Biren Singh and his cohorts in the state assembly to divert the general public from the imbroglio prevalent in Imphal by adopting, in particular, a resolution to abrogate Suspension of Operations with the UPF and KNO.

He also said that the state assembly's communalised resolution adopted in the interest of one community, the Meitei community, accentuated the irrelevance of the Government concerning the Kuki-Zo people while adding that the exclusive focus on the Kuki-Zo not only highlighted the Government's acquiescence to the unconstitutional diktat of the Arambai Tenggol but categorically presents its undesirable communal-centric, pathological nature.

He also said that the Suspension of Operations with the Kuki-Zo groups has heralded peace and tranquility before adding that the demand for the abrogation of SoO with the Kuki-Zo groups by the Meitei community and the resolution passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly urging the Centre to abrogate SoO with the Kuki-Zo groups clearly indicated that the majority Meitei community and the Meitei-centric Government are not peace-loving rather against peace.

"The untoward development in the state assembly amplified the importance of Kuki-Zo's demand for Constitutional safeguards to be addressed by the Government of India at the earliest in the interest of communal harmony and peace", he asserted.

He continued that Chief Minister N Biren Singh has miserably failed to control his secessionist Meitei militants and armed militias from breaching the "Rules of Law" by terrorizing the civilians, openly brandishing looted arms from the state police armouries and his reluctance to take action against them.

Such a situation calls for an immediate declaration of all valley districts as "Disturbed Areas" and the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Power Act, or the AFSPA, in all 19 Police Stations in the valley districts to aid in the curtailing terror acts of state-sponsored pogroms, he added.

He further maintained that such prescriptive policies to placate the majoritarian Meitei community over the minority Kuki-Zo community will be firmly dealt with and we are compelled to impose a 24-hour Total Shutdown in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District to demonstrate our resentment against the derogatory resolution adopted by the Meitei-centric Government.