Kuki women continue protest against dispatching of State security forces towards Moreh; KWOHR deplores Govt's move

The womenfolk strong protest against Manipur government's move in dispatching a large convoy of state security forces for deployment in the Kuki-Zo inhabited border town of Moreh continue on Sunday.

The women protesters, in the middle of the Asian Highway connecting the border town, Moreh, gathered in huge number blocking and opposing the passage of state security forces convoy towards Moreh at Tengnoupal. The protesters shouted slogans to go back the state forces and demanded separate administration for the Kuki-Zo community.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) strongly deplored the action of Manipur state government in dispatching a huge convoy of police commandos, IRBs and Manipur Rifles to Moreh border town.

KWOHR said: "It is reported that the convoy carrying the state forces is embedded with the Meitei radical groups-the Arambai Tenggol and the Meitei Leepun, who have been at the forefronts in all attacks against the Kukis by the Meiteis. The presence of Meitei radical groups in the convoy is further corroborated in the identity verification process conducted by the AR Tengnoupal, wherein a number of 15 (fifteen) Meitei individuals failed to produce any valid ID card or document."

In its press statement on Sunday, KWOHR stated that if the raison d'etre for stationing police commandos and other state forces in Moreh is for counter insurgency operations, their continued presence and deploying additional forces to the border town is totally unjustified and uncalled for, given the fact that there are adequate number of central armed forces and paramilitary forces in the said area, who are far more competent, and people-friendly in counter- insurgency operations.

"While the State forces, particularly police commandos, have been creating fear-psychosis among the Kuki civilians, particularly women and children in the border town, the government's attempt to deploy additional state forces to Moreh is a diabolical ploy to annihilate the beleaguered Kuki populace," KWOHR

It also stated that the provocative acts and conduct of the police commandos in terrorizing the civilians by using hate speeches and openly challenging the Kukis to come out for gun-fights, repressive actions and harassments meted out to the Kukis have ultimately led to the arsoning of houses and properties in recent days.

The total breakdown of law and order- the collusion of COCOMI and Manipur government in its ethnic cleansing against the Kuki people, is further manifested in yesterday's protest rally where the protesters sloganeered for 'Annihilation of the Kukis from Manipur,' it said.

Furthermore, it is distressing that the Organisation who openly declared war on the Kukis is permitted to hold such an inciting protest rally in the heart of the capital Imphal!

KWOHR, in the same vein, decried the manner in which helicopter services between Imphal and Moreh (introduced post-Amit Shah's visit) have been maliciously used to transport more police commandos and other state forces to Moreh.

"In the events wherein the launching of helicopter services proves to be counter-productive, it is prudent on the part of the government (s) to stop it once and for all," KWOHR stated.

As the border town has been disproportionately militarized, causing widespread public anger and apprehensions, the KWOHR appealed the concerned central authorities to immediately halt the state government's attempt to deploy additional forces to Moreh and unconditionally withdraw all the state forces, including police commandos, from Moreh in the interest of peace and security.