Kuki Women's Forum prays for UHM intervention to stop violence against the Kukis

The Kuki Women in Delhi and NCR under the aegis of Kuki Women's Forum, Delhi and NCR today submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his immediate intervention to stop the violence against the Kukis by Manipur armed forces and Meitei terrorists.

It stated that considering your appeal during your visit to Manipur to cease fire for 15 days so that you can come out with an amicable solution to the ongoing conflict, we have decided to, having full faith in you and the Government of India, put down our licensed guns as instructed by you.

However, despite your appeal for 15 days of peace, and following your instruction, the Meitei militants with the full backing of the Manipur armed police, viz. the Commando, IRB, and Manipur Rifles, continued to attack and burned down our villages daily and killed our Kuki village volunteers, it stated.

It went on to state that the state armed police are backed by the CAPF, in some cases, have also routinely harassed and killed Kuki civilians in the name of combing operations. Such dastardly actions on the Kuki village volunteers are usually followed by the burning down of Kuki villages by the Meitei terrorists. The modus operandi of the Meitei terrorists is to accompany the state armed units, who on the pretext of "Combing Operations" first clear or eliminate the village volunteers from the Kuki villages, which is followed by the burning down of the village by the Meitei terrorists. It is for this reason that the Kuki village volunteers have had to defend themselves against those combined armed forces who have allied with the Manipur armed police for the state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom, it added.

The Kuki Women also highlighted to the Union Home Minister that since your last visit to Manipur from May 29 to 31, as many as 56 Kuki villages have been burnt down to ashes by the combined forces of the Manipur state armed forces, such as the Police, commando, Manipur Rifles, IRB, and the Meitei terrorists, such as Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun, and the Meitei mobs. They have carried out their insidious and barbaric onslaught on the Kuki villages daily in the name of combing operations against the non-existent Kuki terrorists or militants.

"There were no Kuki militants on site", the Kuki women stated adding that on the contrary, the Kuki volunteers have been guarding and protecting our villages from the onslaught of the Meitei terrorists using licensed guns and traditional weapons.

The Kuki women further stated that it is appalling to learn that some Assam Rifles personnel and their armored vehicles have been involved in the attacks carried out on some of the tribal Kuki villages along with the Meitei terrorists. The ground report shows
that the AR men were led by the Meitei AR officers and soldiers.

Then, the Kuki women request the immediate intervention of the Union Home Minister to take urgent action on the following:

Firstly, to provide total protection to the tribal Kuki villages by putting a line of military outposts along the foothills of the valley to act as a buffer zone between the Kuki and Meitei settlements.

Secondly, to insist on the Manipur armed forces (Commando, IRB, MR, etc) to operate within the valley or stand down in their respective camps/battalions.

Thirdly, to conduct combing operations in the valley to apprehend the Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun terrorists and to clear the valley of all illegal and looted weapons.

Fourthly, to transfer all the Meitei officers and jawans of the Indian army and CAPF outside the state of Manipur.

Unless the above actions are taken immediately by your good office, it is only time before all the Kuki villages in Manipur will have been wiped out by the Meitei terrorists whose ultimate goal is anti-national and anti-India, which is to
make Manipur a sovereign country, it added.

It also stated that if the Government of India does not act now to resolve the problem immediately, it is going to cost more lives and more resources to the Government of India as well as to the people of Manipur who are already reeling under immeasurable hardships.

While anticipating positive action on the plight of the Kuki people from the office of the Union Home Minister, the Kuki women look forward to the sincere intervention of the Union Home Minister.

The Kuki women also attached the list of Kuki villages burned down by combined forces of Manipur State armed forces and Meitei terrorist groups Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun, and others during and after the visit of the Union Home Minister.

On May 29, Kuki villages such as Beulahland, Saikul (about 40 houses); S.Bongjang, Saikul (about 70 houses); Khodang, Chandel; Boipu Veng, Chandel; B. Salemphai, Chandel; T. Munnomjang, Chandel; Khulmi, Chandel; B. Jangnouphai, Chandel; T. Salemphai, Chandel; Ex-Colony, Leimakhong; Prem Nagar, Leimakhong; Twichin, Saikul; Phaimol, Saikul; Molnomphai, Saikul; Nongdam Kuki, Saikul (about 60 houses); and Sahumphai, Chandel.

On May 30, nine villages including Saichang, Saikul (about 70 houses); L.Songphel, Kangpokpi (about 20 houses); Kamusaichang, Saikul (about 50 houses); Maphou Kuki, Saikul (about 100 houses); L. Molnom, Saikul (about 40 houses); Chaningpokpi, Saikul (about 60 houses); Kholen, Chandel; Seloijang, Saikul, and Molkonbung, Saikul (about 60 houses) were burnt down.

On May 31, seven Kuki villages including L. Chayang, Kangpokpi (about 70 houses); S. Phailengkot, Kangpokpi (about 72 houses); ChingdaiKhullen, Kangpokpi (about 47 houses); C. Zoulen, Kangpokpi (about 35 houses); Thingjang, Kangpokpi (about 30 houses); Lhanghoi, Kangpokpi (about 15 houses), and Moljang, Kangpokpi (about 3 houses) were burnt down.

On June 2, after the Union Home Minister left the state, three Kuki villages namely, K.Bethel, Saikul (about 30 houses); K.Nakhojang (about 30 houses), and K.Songlung (about 5 houses) were burnt down.

On June 4, in Chandel district seventeen Kuki villages, namely, Sahumphai; Gampijang; Chandel; Sokom; Thingbongphai; Nazareth; LonpiKhunou; Munpi; New Keiphom; K. Sabi; Utangpokpi; Moltinchan; JS Jangnoi; Kotsophai; Phainom; Khopijang; Hebron; and Khumjang villages were burnt down.

The next on June 5, Boljang and Singtom villages in Chandel district were burnt down while on June 6, Y. Thingkangphai (about 50 houses); and L. Thinglhangphai, (about 20 houses) in Chandel district were burnt down.

The Kuki women also stated that during and after the Union Home Minister visit to Manipur, a total of 56 Kuki villages were burnt down and twenty Churches (approximately) were also burnt down to ashes while six Kuki civilains were killed and ten Kuki civilians were injured.

It further stated that many Kuki civilians and volunteers have also been injured on June 6, and the exact numbers are yet to be ascertained.