Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) meets MHA Officials in Lamka

The representatives from the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) today met officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, at the Intelligence Bureau Office in Lamka Headquarter veng, Churachandpur, at around 10:30 AM.

The MHA is represented by Joint Director IB (NE) Dr. Mandeep Singh Tuli and SoO interlocutor AK Mishra. The Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur Dharun Kumar and Joint Director IB (Imphal) Gnanasambandan and Asst. Director IB (Lamka) Soiminthang Thangsing were also present in the meeting.

The MHA officials from Delhi and the ITLF reviewed the matters and progress of the August 8 talks between the ITLF and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. In the said meeting, the tribal body had demanded for the withdrawal of Manipur Police Commando from tribal areas. Amit Shah had said that the centre has no absolute control over a state government but promised to keep check on the activities and operations of the personnel posted at tribal areas and that they should act in accordance with the command of the central forces. The ITLF expressed their displeasure over the recent events at Moreh which has brought to light the failure of Amit Shah on his promises. Dr Mandeep reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to not allow such things from happening again, and informed them of the government’s plan to depute a Kuki-Zo Police officer at Moreh.

The members discussed on the issue of burial of the deceased Kuki-Zo martyrs and could not come to a satisfactory conclusion and thus postponed the issue to be discussed on a later date.

The tribal body also expressed their displeasure over the highhandedness of the CBI and NIA in nabbing the alleged and suspected culprits in the case of two missing Meitei youths within the tribal areas and reminded the central officials of the atrocities meted out to the Kuki-Zo, citing examples of David Thiek, Tonsing’s mother and son, Imphal Car-Wash incident, naked parade of the Kuki women, mob attack on MLA Vungzagin Valte and his driver, and how the same CBI and NIA have left the cases unattended till now. The officials reassured the tribal leaders that justice would be served to all albeit the time consumed in delivering the same, and that the CBI and NIA should be pushed to speed up the process of investigation.

On the issue of transfer and release of Kuki-Zo inmates in Imphal Jails, the tribal body leaders thanked the officials over the recent releases and transfer of some of the inmates and further requested the officials to expedite the process for complete transfer and release of the remaining inmates who are still stuck in Imphal Jails.

The meeting also discussed the issue of arms looted in Imphal valley by the Meitei community. The tribal body leaders appealed the officials for expediting the recovery of looted arms. The MHA officials reassured them that the operation for the same is underway and requested the tribal body to also surrender the arms looted within the district of Churachandpur. The ITLF reassured that it shall be done right and only after it is done in Imphal.

Over the tribal body’s question on the issue of IDPs, the Deputy Commissioner of Lamka, Dharun Kumar highlighted the efforts of the government in handling the IDPs situation and also briefed the meeting on the future plan of action from the government.

AK Mishra, the interlocutor, on the question of the situation of political talks, said the political talks with the SoO groups that began in 2005 is still underway and the government has stood firm on its stand and not moved away from the gist of the talk till this moment. He said that the concerned groups, post the outbreak of the ongoing conflict, have defined and clarified the substance of the demand for Separate Administration to the centre government and that he has submitted the demand to the government of India and government's approval is now awaited.

Mishra further said that there is a need for peaceful environment for any political solution and the outbreak of violence impeded such processes. He requested the tribal body to pursue their political demand through democratic processes. Speaking on how the centre government wants for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo, Mishra said that for such a solution to occur, certain elements are affected in the process and such elements need to be properly handled and dealt with. He requested the tribal body to put their trust on the government and to abstain from violent means but rather follow the democratic means of protests in their demand for a Separate Administration.