The Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills declared its decision to close back the two National Highways passing through Sadar Hills Kangpokpi from Sunday midnight of August 20 during a massive rally held today at Kangpokpi against the prejudicial remark of Home Minister Amit Shah and violation of Kuki-Zo freedom of thought and expression.
The CoTU's massive rally was in protest against the alleged prejudicial remark of Home Minister Amit Shah on the Kuki-Zo people in Parliament and against the alleged violation of Kuki-Zo's freedom of thought and expression.
Thousands of Kuki-Zo people across Kangpokpi District including men and women, young and old, participated in the CoTU's massive rally from Brig. M. Thomas ground till DC office Kangpokpi.
CoTU's leaders also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India through the DC Kangpokpi.
On the sideline of the protest rally, CoTU's General Secretary said that the massive public rally was organized to protest the irresponsible remarks made by the Union Home Minister in the Lok-Sabha on August 9 and it was also to show our solidarity with the Kuki-Zo Academics and Intellectuals who are leveled baseless FIRs while the rally was also to protest against the unabated attack by Meitei militants.
While strongly demanding the revocation of all the alleged baseless FIRs filed against the Kuki-Zo academics and intellectuals including Dr. Jangkhomang Guite, Dr. Thongkholal Haokip, Colonel (Retd.) Dr. Vijay Chenji, Professor Kham Khan Suan Hausing, Dr. Mary Grace Zou, WL Hangshing, Glady Vaiphei Hunjan, Ginza Vualzong, Loon Gangte, and Zomi
Students Federation, CoTU's General Secretary said that filing FIRs against individuals and organizations for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of thought and expression is illegal and shows the moral bankruptcy of the dominant community who are hell-bent on suppressing the rights of minorities.
He also demanded the Union Home Minister to withdraw his statements in the Lok-Sabha where he wrongly accused the non-existing “Kuki Democratic Front” and “Kuki brothers” coming from Myanmar for causing the turmoil.
"Concealing the real cause of the violence for majoritarian appeasement will only bring continuous political instability", he asserted and said that the Union Home Minister should act according to the empirical evidence of the ethnic cleansing carried out by the abuse of state machineries.
Singsit also pointed out that Army and the Central Forces stationed in the Valley areas are devoid of AFSPA, therefore they appears to be powerless in the Valley and are physically obstructed by the Meira Paibis to pave the way for Secessionist groups to operate freely to attack, arson, and kill the innocent Kuki-Zo people.
He then demanded the Centre to immediately re-impose AFSPA in the valley to curtail the sporadic violence and killing of innocent Kuki-Zo people by the valley militants.
In connection with its three days ultimatum over the National Highways issue, Singsit reiterated that the Government of India had done nothing to stop the valley extremist from obstructing goods meant for the Kuki-Zo inhabited areas.
He pointed out that in fact, a vaccine van carrying medical supplies for Kangpokpi and Senapati districts was stopped by Meira Paibis at Sekmai yesterday August 18 and all the medical items meant for Kangpokpi district were destroyed.
He also said that the attack on the Kuki-Zo villages is continuing unabated where three innocent villagers of Thawai Kuki village in Kamjong district were brutally murdered by Meitei terrorists in the wee hours of August 18.
Therefore, in protest against the failure of the Government of India to protect the innocent Kuki-Zo communities, and its failure to ensure the free movement of goods meant for the hill districts, COTU decided to re-impose the blockade in the National Highway-2 and National Highway-37 from midnight of Sunday, August 20.
In its memorandum to the Prime Minister, the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi District apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address and take necessary action in connection with various issues.
It stated that the Kuki-Zo people have been deeply hurt by the irresponsible statement made by the Union Home Minister on August 9 as it deepened the wounds of the Kuki-Zo people who are the victims of the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the majority Meitei community while requesting the Prime Minister Office to instruct the Union Home Minister to withdraw his statements.
It also stated that the Kuki-Zo people are saddened to learn that a series of FIRS have been registered against academics and intellectuals belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribal communities by various individuals and organisations of the Majority Community and urged the Prime Minister to look into the undemocratic filings of FIR so that critical thinking academicians and intellectuals are given space for constructive analysis of the current turmoil.
CoTU in its memorandum also stated that it is evident that the majority Meitei community have looted 6000 automatic weapons from various state armouries and private gun houses in Imphal. The State police could recover only about 1000 arms and 90% of these weapons are still in the hands of the radicalised groups. Besides, the secessionist groups in the valley based in Myanmar have trespassed into Indian territory during this conflict. It is utmost necessity to re-imposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the Six valley districts as in the hill districts so that law enforcing agencies, including paramilitary forces and Armies can contain further escalation of violence and bring disarmament in the state, it added.
It further stated that considering the gravity of the situation, and complicity of the state government in the ethnic cleansing pogrom perpetrated by the majority Meitei community, there is a need for investigation by independent institutions and agencies with special powers as the recent CBI investigators were obstructed by radicalised Meira-Paibis at Manipur Police Training College on June 22, therefore, cases taken up by the Supreme Court and FIRS registered by CBIs, etc. should be given utmost importance so that justice is delivered at the earliest.
Over justice for the Sexual assault victims, CoTU mentioned that it is saddening to learn that a number of Kuki-Zo women have been sexually assaulted and some even gang-raped and murdered. The Notorious act of parading two Kuki-Zo woman gave a world-wide outcry and the rape and murder of two Kuki-Zo girls employed in a car-wash in Imphal did not receive the utmost attention as it was done secretly. The family of the victims are still seeking justice. All the perpetrators must be given exemplary punishment so that women bodies are not used as a tool for provocations and extreme care needs to be taken while trying to deliver justice to the victims of sexual assault during the conflict, it added.
With regards to the demand for separate administration as the only solution, CoTU apprised the Prime Minister that the boundary of emotional integrity and territorial integrity is drawn in blood, and the ulterior motives of wiping out the Kuki-Zo community is evident from the aggression and the media outlets.
Practically, the demographic and geographical division between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo community is complete and all that we can hope and pray is that the bipartite political talks between Government of India and the two umbrella groups viz., Kuki National Organisations and United People's Front is settled for a Separate Administration as early as possible, it stated.
CoTU then urged the Prime Minister to have a sympathetic look at the above mentioned issues for justice to precede so that recurrence of such intense violence is curtailed and the word "Peace" be established and consolidated between the two communities.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
