ITLF Urges Central Govt. to Replace Meitei Forces with Impartial Security in Moreh to Curb Violence

Reiterating its call for the deployment of an impartial force in Moreh, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) emphasized that to quell the violence in Moreh, the central government could easily substitute Meitei forces with unbiased central security forces.

In a press release circulated on Monday, ITLF insisted that any law enforcement personnel assigned to Moreh, including the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), should be either from a neutral community or one of the Kuki-Zo tribes. Until this is implemented, local volunteers will feel compelled to protect their land, the statement added.

Amidst the heightened tensions in Moreh due to recent clashes and arson committed by Meitei police personnel, ITLF pointed out that the Manipur government has exacerbated the situation by appointing a Meitei policeman as the new SDPO in the border town.

According to the release, local organizations in the area have consistently asserted that deploying Meitei forces in the Kuki-Zo-majority region during an ethnic conflict involving the two groups is the root cause of the violence. They argue that this strategy is an attempt by the Meitei chief minister to use state machinery to expel tribals from the area.

Recent events have only intensified the resentment against state forces. On January 17, Meitei police personnel, accompanied by well-armed Meitei insurgents, reportedly set fire to numerous homes and schools in Moreh, as stated by ITLF.

The release also referenced a news report by The Print, which suggested that CCTV footage from that day aligns with allegations made by local residents. These residents claimed that Assam Rifles personnel watched as individuals in uniform, purportedly Manipur Police commandos, entered localities in Moreh on January 17 and engaged in acts of arson.

Even residents from Nepali, Tamil, and Bihari communities in Moreh have asserted that Manipur police commandos burned down houses, indicating that the commandos are perceived as a communal force utilizing state-issued weapons to terrorize civilians, according to the release.