CoTU demands additional centre security forces in peripheral areas

The top Kuki-Zo tribal body in Kangpokpi, the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills urged the Central Government for additional centre security forces to manned all areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo community, especially in the peripheral area following the attack and torching of houses at the Kuki-Zo Maphou dam village.

The committee alleged on January 18 evening, residential houses and properties belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were razed to ashes by armed militants.

The committee stated that Maphou Dam is the village of martyred Paotinsat Guite alias Sasat Guite, a Sub-Inspector of BSF, 59th Battalion who gave his life defending the country in Jammu and today the people whom he defended from foreign aggression burnt the remaining houses of his village Maphou.

The committee also condemned the alleged unethical reporting of the valley-based media in connection with the incident.

It alleged that even in an incidence of attacks or aggression by the majoritarian Meitei against the minority Kuki-Zo the valley-based media always pint-point at the Kuki-Zo and wondered as to how the Kuki-Zo would be attacking their own villages and it is a common sense to understand that there is always peace until shattered by the armed militants donning state police uniforms and equipment including vehicles and logistics.

The Committee then urged the Central Government for additional centre security forces to manned all areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo, especially in the prone remote areas such as the Phailengmol area while urging to uphold the Union Home Minister's instructions on maintaining security in the hills by the Centre security forces and the valley to be maintained by the state security forces.