Kangpokpi: Meeting with Union Home Minister fruitful, says COTU; Arsoning of Kuki villages continues

The Union Home Minister's visit to Kangpokpi and meeting with prominent leaders and intellectuals of the Kuki community was 'fruitful' termed the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills.

Nevertheless, the Committee felt crestfallen as when people from all sections of the district, young and old, men and women, with high enthusiasm and excitement welcomed the Union Home Minister, a billow of smoke, and a cry and wail of innocent Kukis out of burning of more than five Kuki villages in Changdai area under Saikul Sub Division in Kangpokpi district by the alleged Meitei radicalized groups greet the Union Home Minister.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah had landed in a chopper at Brig.M. Thomas ground Kangpokpi at 2:12 pm the after and had spent a long two-hour listening to the Kuki leaders and interacting with them at 22 Assam Rifle Post, Kangpokpi.

The Union Home Minister was heartily welcomed by thousands of crowds with the tricolor in their hands waving in the air while he stepped out of the chopper, the mammoth crowds clapped their hands and shouted, "Amit Shahji Zindabad, Jai Mata Ki", etc.

The Union Home Minister responded by waving his hands to the crowds.

On his way to the meeting venue, thousands of people formed a human chain, holding banners greeting the Union Home Minister while some others hold placards, which read, "All our houses, villages, and churches in the valley are burnt down", "We have video proof of Manipur Govt. and Arambai Tenggol working together", "Our Schools have been burnt", "Armouries of Pangei MPTC, MRs and IRBs battalion are not looted, they were handed over without resistance", "CM is distorting facts, we demand President Rule", "Human Rights is violated by Biren Government", "This is state-sponsored ethnic cleansing", "Arambai Tenggol is an armed terrorist organization", etc.

The various civil society organizations, prominent Kuki leaders, and intellectuals led by the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills participated in the meeting.

The Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills had also submitted a six-page memorandum to the visiting Union Home Minister terming the current violence in Manipur as the highest level conspiracy of ethnic genocide perpetrated on the Kuki-Zo community in the state.

It stated that innumerable number of documents, video footage, and other mass media evidence have substantiated that a group of politicians in the helms of the present Manipur Government has conspired and executed against the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur by using all available machinery at the state's disposal.

It also stated that such blatant truths are very well known by the Home Ministry and entire Government agencies as to how plans had been executed to wipe out the entire Kuki-Zo populace in Manipur politically and administratively for decades.

The memorandum also contained the main and immediate demands of the committee.

The Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills termed the almost two-hour-long meeting with the Union Home Minister fruitful and positive.

K. Sitlhou, Spokesperson of the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills said that we are very thankful to the Union Home Minister for patiently listening to our grievances and problems put up during our meeting and assuring us to address our immediate necessities at the earliest.

Convened a meeting with civil society organisations in Kangpokpi, Manipur. They are keen to actively participate with the government in reviving harmony among communities in Manipur. pic.twitter.com/1Tv9wO02xZ

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 31, 2023

"The meeting was fruitful and positive", said COTU Spokesperson.

The Committee along with various other civil society organizations and prominent leaders and intellectuals had a lengthy meeting again after the Union Home Minister's departure at around 4:05 pm.

The Committee Spokesperson continued that the Union Home Minister apart from deliberating on various important issues assured of upgrading health care facilities in the district, addressing the issue of educational problems for the student community, providing essential aid, helicopter connectivity, etc.

However, Sitlhou while expressing his concern over the escalating violence even with the presence of the Union Home Minister, pleaded fervently to the Home Minister for his strong intervention before he left the state to contain the violence.

"Even when you are here if we can be attacked, and our villages are burnt, what would be the situation after you left us", wondered Sitlhou while seeking the visiting Union Home Minister's immediate intervention.

Violence erupted in Kangpokpi district when the Union Home Minister was having a meeting with the Kuki leaders at Kangpokpi as more than four villages in the Chingdai Khullen area covering Zoulen, Chajang, Thingjang, Phailengkot, etc. under Saikul Sub Division in Kangpokpi District were attacked and burnt down.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visited one of the relief camps set up within Kangpokpi town and interacted with the Internally Displaced Persons before he left the town.