Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal alleges false, biased media reportage on Pallen incident, urges GoI for security measures

In the wake of majority Meitei armed groups' indiscriminate attacks on Kuki inhabitants in Pallen area, the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) has implored the central government to strengthen security measures by deploying additional central security forces in Pallen under Tengnoupal district, Manipur.

While taking strong exception to the "biased, false reportage by valley-based media houses, valley-based Civil Society Organizations and State government on the attack on Kuki habitation of Pallen and its surrounding areas on September 8, the Kuki apex body of Tengnoupal pointed out that the main Kuki settlement in Pallen is on the eastern side of the town, where Pallen Police Station and other security deployments on the western side are acting as buffer zones between Kuki and Meitei settlements.

"With such topography and human settlements in place, the people of both communities have had peaceful co-existence for the last four months, though both sides have some village volunteers, they heeded to the security personnel deployed there," stated a press statement issued on Tuesday.

KIT stated that the two communities-Meiteis and Kukis-in Pallen made a deal (though verbally) in the presence of both state and central security officials "not to attack each other; and it shall be the sole responsibility of the community who first launched aggression.

However, KIT alleged, in the early morning of  September 8, about 100 fully armed Meitei radicals led by valley-based undergrounds clad in Manipur Police Commando's dresses attacked Kuki areas of Molnoi and Kotlenphai by encircling from the mountain ridge, bypassing the buffer zones from the south- eastern side of Pallen town. The central forces present at the buffer zone had reacted firmly by engaging the attackers in the hilly terrain just above Molnoi-Kotlenphai villages, thus preventing the Meitei militants from approaching the Kuki villages. In the ensuing attack, an army officer sustained bullet injury, with heavy casualties inflicted on the Meitei militants.

The Kuki body implored the central government to reimpose AFSPA in all the 19 Police Stations jurisdiction in the valley districts and take strong measures in recovering arms and ammunitions looted from the state's armouries. It also urged the central government to declare the Meira Paibis as terrorist groups under section 35 of Unlawful Atrocities (Prevention) Act, while alleging that the Meira Paibis (Womenfolk) are part and parcel of the Meitei terrorist groups.

"As the aim of the Meiteis to burn down Pallen Kuki village failed miserably, huge mob-in terms of thousands was mobilized from Kakching and Thoubal districts immediately to obstruct the reinforcement of central security forces," KIT said, while alleging that Manipur Police commandos mingled with Meitei militants had joined them in the attack on security forces on all roads leading to Pallen.

KIT statement also stated that while the central forces had to defend themselves and the minority Kuki settlements, and waiting desperately for reinforcement of other central forces, Kuki houses at Pallen market area and houses of some isolated Kuki villages (Kuraopokpi and Chatong) were burnt down by the Meiteis. It further alleged that the involvement of Police commandos and valley-based UGs cannot be ruled out in the torching of more than 20 Kuki houses.

"With the first hand information at hand, the Meitei pressmen and CSOs and communal Meitei Government of Manipur gave wrong reports and false narratives, which no mainland press/media and right-thinking individuals will believe. This is clear from the press statement made by one Kh. Athouba and COCOMI who deliberately circumvented the fact that it was the Meitei militias along with communal Manipur State forces who climbed the hill top and opened fire upon the Pallen-Molnoi village," KIT said.

The Kuki apex body also claimed that the State cabinet's unequivocal condemnation on the role of the AR in Pallen attack substantiated the fact that the ongoing ethnic conflagration is state-sponsored ethnic cleansing, wherein the State is party to the majority Meitei community in their attacks against the minority Kuki community.

Such a partisan, nefarious and majoritarian politics being played by the State government is detestable, unbecoming of elected representatives at the helm of power in a democracy, it stated.

KIT said, "It is outlandish and preposterous indeed, on the part of the valley based media (print & electronic) in persistently reversing the facts in the ongoing ethnic violence by alleging the Kukis as aggressors in all the attacks, including the recent attack at Pallen, Tengnoupal district, which even the 'father of lies', the devil himself will not believe."

"The habitual lies of the Meitei are known widely by all and sundry, by launching onslaughts on Kuki villages and blaming them (Kukis) for the violence they perpetrated or provoked has been their modus operandi. After all, had the Meitei terrorists dressed in Manipur police commandos uniform not come and attacked the Kukis, no lives would have been lost as the Kuki village volunteers strictly adhered to the 'no-first strike' policy till date."

The Meiteis' embitterment towards the central forces is only natural because their plan to annihilate the whole of Pallen-Molnoi Kuki villagers failed due to the swift intervention of the central forces; and their stance in not to claim the dead bodies in their attack is a pretext to remove the 26 Sector, AR so as to ensure unhindered passage in their attempt to let loose the reign of terror in Pallen-Molnoi area, it stated.

KIT made it crystal clear that in the ongoing ethnic conflagration, N. Biren Singh-led Government not only refuses to take real action to prevent Meiteis' attacks upon the Kukis, but also actively stokes the flames of violence, breeding a culture of hatred and evil that makes reconciliation impossible.

"In the given circumstances, there is no possibility to bridge the deep and deepening divide, and as such it is highly imperative on the part of the Government of India to expedite the process of separate administration for the Kukis for securing peace and security in the region," it added.