The Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes accused Biren Singh led Manipur Government's arrogance in instigating a "retaliatory shootout" between the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers and the Manipur police commandos today at border town Moreh.
"The arrogance of Biren Singh led the Manipur Government to withdraw state forces from Moreh and the indiscriminate use of brute force by the Meitei police commandos at Moreh have instigated a retaliatory shootout between the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers and the Meitei Police Commandos", alleged KIM.
KIM Information and Publicity Secretary, Janghaolun Haokip said that the shootout at Moreh also caused wide public unrest in the border town raising grievous concern for the safety and security of the Kuki-Zo community.
He continued that the incident corroborated the persistent suspicion of the locals who had strongly feared the presence of the Meitei police commandos in the town while adding that the locals feared the Meitei police commandos as a serious threat to the collective wellbeing of the people, especially at a time when the state has totally been divided into ethnic lines with unrestrained hostility and the complete failure of law enforcement agencies of the state.
He recalled that the Kuki Inpi Manipur has also made a repeated appeal to the Government of India to withdraw the police commandos from Moreh to prevent any untoward incident against the minority Kuki-Zo community.
He also said that the dictated deployment of Meitei police commandos, despite stark opposition from the locals is clear evidence of the complicity of the Manipur Government and the misuse and abuse of their power and position in the persecution against the Kuki-Zo people.
"The Meitei-led state Government has clearly disdained the sentiments of the Kuki-Zo people and their pride and dignity as a community", he added.
He also said that the deployment of the Meitei police commandos at Moreh against every sensible rationale evinced the arrogance of the state leadership to further their hostility and aggression against the Kuki-Zo people.
He also pointed out that the bulldozing of the state's law and order, and the misuse of state machineries and agencies likewise is greatly alarming.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur, therefore, vehemently condemned the unwarranted deployment of Meitei police commandos at Moreh and the ensuing consequence that had serious physical, mental and emotional detrimental impacts on the people, including the serious threat to their safety and security, he added.
He also said that the open deployment of Meitei state forces in the ruthless attacks against the lives and properties of the Kuki-Zo people is senseless and outrageous and highly condemnable.
In fact, such illegitimate use of Meitei state forces against the minority Kuki-Zo community only expressed the disrespect for law and order duly established under the Constitution of India, Haokip added.
Therefore, the Kuki Inpi Manipur reiterated our demand for immediate withdrawal of the Meitei police commandos from Moreh, he further added.
He also said that failing which, the Kuki-Zo people would take on any form of agitation to protect our identity and the integrity of our land while the Government of Manipur will be solely held responsible for any untoward incident and public disorder.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum, or the ITLF strongly condemned the alleged shocking and deeply troubling selective injustice that has once again marred the governance of Manipur, India.
It stated that the recent events have brought to light an alarming disparity in the treatment of its citizens based solely on their ethnic identity, further emphasizing the divisive agenda perpetuated by the Meitel-centric communal Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, and his cabinet.
It recalled that on September 13, 2023, the state witnessed the tragic killing of a dedicated police officer, Onkhomang Haokip, who was serving as a Sub Inspector in the Manipur Police.
Officer Haokip was ruthlessly shot dead while in uniform and on duty by Meitei militants employing sniper tactics.
Despite the horrifying act, the Chief Minister's office remained startlingly mute on social media, and no immediate action to investigate was taken. Moreover, a meager ex-gratia was announced by the Deputy Commissioner of "Lamka" Churachandpur (the victim's family confirmed they hadn't received anything), nor an emergency Cabinet meeting was called. The brutal and cowardly assault on Officer Haokip left his family bereft, yet the government's indifference was palpable, it stated.
In stark contrast, today, on October 31, 2023, another police officer, Chingtham Anand Kumar, a Meitei by ethnicity, met a similar tragic fate. The response from Chief Minister Biren Singh was swift and telling as he took to social media to offer condolences, announcing ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 50 lakhs, and promising suitable government employment for the bereaved family.
To add to this, he promptly called for an emergency Cabinet Meeting and ordered the deployment of Manipur Police Commandos to launch a joint operation in Moreh Town and its adjacent areas to apprehend the culprits.
As of writing this, the attack on Kuki-Zo villages by Manipur Police and Meitei insurgents in and around Moreh had begun, it stated.
The ITLF then stated that the glaring contrast between these two incidents highlights the appalling selective injustice that has become disturbingly routine in Manipur.
In addition, the ITLF is not oblivious to the unsettling agenda that seems to underlie Chief Minister Biren Singh's actions. His response to this incident hints at an intention to exploit the circumstances, intensifying the perpetual hardships faced by the Kuki-Zo tribal community. This disquieting approach is consistent with the distressing history of persecution, subjugation, and discrimination endured by the tribal community for several decades, it stated.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
