The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and its frontal organizations including Kuki Chiefs’ Association, Manipur; Kuki Students’ Organization-GHQ, and Kuki Khanglai Lawmpi-GHQ, have submitted a joint memorandum on ‘unending plights of Kukis under the leadership of Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh and the valley-based insurgency groups (VBIGs)’ to the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on Sunday.
The Memorandum stated that the State-sponsored pogrom against the Kukis has crossed the 75 days mark, and the tragedies and debacles of Kuki people grew manifold with each passing day despite the unwarranted claims that there is ‘improvement’ in the situation. “Our unending sufferings have pushed us in the cauldron of repressed anguish with the man (N. Biren Singh) who orchestrated the genocidal killings being allowed to remain at the helms of the State’s affairs, and expectedly the violence on our people only takes different dimensions. As things turn out, the end is nowhere near in sight,” it stated.
KIM alleged that with Biren Singh at the helm of the State’s affairs, the onslaught on Kuki people and villages only intensified; and, the crisis took a new dimension with secessionist Valley Based Insurgency/Underground Groups (VBIG/VBUGS) being given a free hand to lead the assault on Kuki villages and people. “These proscribed secessionist outfits masquerading as Manipur State police commandos, IRB and Manipur Rifles personnel are directly and actively involved in aggressive attacks in Kuki areas,” it said.
To make things worse, Kuki CSOs continued that the Meitei CSOs, including the womenfolk and even elected representatives are acting as an impediment or deterrent agents to the duties performed by the Central security/para-military forces who are proactively working to bring back peace and ensure cessation of hostility and confrontation between the two communities in the buffer zones.
KIM also stated that the outlawed VBIGs have taken a chance to engage and indulge in activities which are prejudicial to the security, integrity and sovereignty of India and other anti-National and subversive activities which Biren has allegedly provided the necessary playing fields to those terrorist outfits. It also pointed out the alleged height of partiality and pro-sucessionist movement attitude of Biren Singh in turning blind eyes to outlawed VBIGS, whereas pointing accusing finger to Kuki groups under SoO.
Stating that even the Kukis’ gesture for peace by allowing free passage of Imphal valley-bound goods carriers from the hill areas was not reciprocated, KIM said any Hill areas-bound vehicles were either burned down or blocked by the Meitei vigilantes right in the nose of State security forces. Among others, one such incident is the burning down of 3 (three) trucks carrying gas-filled cylinders and other essential commodities at Sekmai, Imphal west, bound for Kangpokpi on July 15, 2023, it stated.
KIM further stated that the Meitei population’s (including their leaders – both elected and CSOs) disapproval for deployment of Central forces in Manipur was deeply rooted in their resolute support, endorsement and ratification of the secessionist movement championed and spearheaded by the VBIGs. The involvement of proscribed VBIGs in several attacks and other insidious anti-national and subversive activities has seen gradual intensification in the wake of the declaration of ‘Manipuri National War’ on Kuki people by Committee on Protection of Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), it said.
Pending the demand for Separate Administration, the Kuki civil bodies placed before the Union Home Minister for facilitating durable peace and ending the violence sooner, that-
1. More stringent and enhanced security measures are put in place in order to control and check the subversive, prejudicial and anti-National activities of VBIGS particularly in vulnerable areas bordering Kukis’ territory; and to deploy more Central security forces in the buffer zones in order to ensure security of the civilians;
2. The Government’s order affecting pockets of the valley as de-notified areas should be cancelled; and AFSPA should be re-imposed in Manipur valley since the activities of VBIGs are not contained and they are still creating disturbances to the State law and order and their presence in the State is posing severe threat to National security. Stringent actions should be taken against these proscribed cross- border outfits who are causing disturbances in the State;
3. Against the backdrop of the volatile situations and the tendencies to vitiate the
atmosphere by anti-National elements in the peripheral areas and elsewhere, no
units of Central forces including the Assam Rifles, engaged in the
maintenance of law and order, should be removed or replaced;
4. N. Biren Singh is stripped of all responsibilities be it political or security measures and is replaced by competent Army Officer (such as 3 Corps Commander) as Head of the Unified Command in order to build confidences and trusts thereby paving way for negotiated settlement; and to immediately end the constant aggression on Kuki territories by the Meitei forces;
5. To thoroughly probe the role of the State Government in handing over arms and ammunitions to the Meitei militias from the State’s armouries and security establishments and to ensure full recovery of the ‘looted’ arms;
6. To probe the nexus between secessionist VBIGS and N Biren Singh under whose command large number of proscribed UGS cadres (who usually took shelter across India’s border in Myanmar) are being allowed free movement and create law and order disturbances in India and got involved directly and actively in running riot and aggression on Kuki areas.
“Negotiations or peace cannot take place when the Kukis come under constant aggression from the Meiteis whose agenda is to secede from the country,” KIM added.
