CoTU's 48-hour total shutdown cripples normal life in Manipur's Kangpokpi

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills Kangpokpi's 48-hour total shutdown, which began this morning at 6:00 a.m. hit hard normal life in Manipur's Kangpokpi district with all normal activities coming to a standstill.

The CoTU's total shutdown will be enforced till 6:00 a.m. of November 13.

CoTU had announced the total shutdown considering the alleged objectionable events and keeping the sentiments of the public intact, with the sole demand of rationalizing the implementation of law and order for both the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo.

Earlier, in the day the Kuki-Zo people as part of their mass movement held a massive rally at Kangpokpi District Headquarters and demonstration in front of the SP Kangpokpi office, where they demonstrated the whole night till this morning until the total shutdown began at 6:00 a.m.

Later, thousands of Kuki-Zo people mostly women across the district congregated at Kangpokpi town and Gamgiphai and strictly enforced the total shutdown.

All shops, business establishments, and educational institutions across the district remained closed while the vehicular movement came to a standstill along the National Highway-2.

Emergency services, press, and CoTU units which are exempted from the purview of the shutdown were only allowed to pass along the highway.

Strife-torn Manipur's Kangpokpi district has been back to a burning situation after the Kuki-Zo intensified their mass movement protesting the alleged 'Selective injustice and selective enforcement of the law' by N. Biren Singh's led Manipur Government as it intensified their demand for the release of the two Kuki-Zo individuals arrested by Manipur police.

CoTU's decision to impose a 48-hour total shutdown was taken in an emergency late Friday midnight meeting with all of its units/departments, and various civil society organizations at Kangpokpi District Headquarters following intense pressure from the public.

CoTU's Media Cell stated that the Kuki-Zo community is seriously disturbed by the selective injustice through discriminatory enforcement of law and order.

It alleged that the display of anarchy by terror groups such as Arambai Tenggol in the public sphere and the inaction of the state police in apprehending those outfits; the looting of church offerings in Kuki-Zo villages; the attempt to re-settle only the displaced Meiteis in Kuki-Zo areas; the biased security deployment for harvesting and the brutal killings of innocent Kuki-Zo civilians with the support of the state have affirmed that the law and order are apparently one-sided.

CoTU further stated that in case of negligence and inattention to our legitimate demands, the future course of action will be determined by the committee in consultation with the public.