Kuki-Zo bodies in Kangpokpi reprobate Amit Shah's Parliament remark on Manipur crisis

Making a spirited reprobation against the Union Home Minister's remark in Parliament, the Kuki-Zo women in Kangpokpi held a vociferous demonstration near Gamgiphai in Kangpokpi District today.

Almost ten thousand Kuki-Zo women excluding the menfolk across the Kangpokpi district, as per the attendance record, participated in the sit-in-protest held by the Kuki-Zo women of Kangpokpi district under the aegis of CoTU's Women Wing.

The protestors hold placards, "Amit Shah needs to own his mistake", "Amit Shah needs to clarify his tongue slip in Parliament", "We will pay a heavy price for Amit Shah's tongue slip", "We Are Indians, Not Illegal Infiltrators", "Our Existence In Manipur Predates British Rule", "We Have a Historical Presence In Manipur Preceding India's Independence", "Union Home Minister Has Disheartened Us With His Remark In Parliament", "Amit Shah, Manipur Mayhem Is a Pre-planned Ethnic Cleansing Of The Kuki-zo People Aimed At Snatching Our Land Against Constitutional Provisions", "Amit Shah, Your Remark Looks As If The Centre And The State Are Hands-in Gloves In The Ethnic Cleansing", "We Demand Accountability Of The Union Home Minister", "Amit Shah's Disheartening Remark Is Deeply Troublesome", "Instead Of Sacking Biren You Still Defended Him, What Is Your Agenda?", "Rise Above Party Politics In Dealing Manipur Crisis".

The Kuki-Zo women protesters also shouted slogans, "We Are Indians", "We Condemned the Union Home Minister's Remark in Parliament", "We Want Constitutional Solutions", and "We Want Justice".

The CoTU's Women Wing Convenor, Neinu said that the Kuki-Zo women in Kangpokpi congregated today to demonstrate our disappointment over the disheartening remark of the Union Home Minister in Parliament regarding the ethnic conflict in Manipur.

She continued that we wanted to convey to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the Kuki-Zo people in Manipur are peace-loving Indians, not illegal infiltrators from Myanmar.

She said that the existence of the Kuki-Zo people in Manipur predates British rule and we have a historical presence in Manipur preceding India's independence, so, the Kuki-Zo women cannot accept your statement in Parliament.

She also said that the Union Home Minister must own his mistake and clarify his tongue slip in Parliament to avoid us paying a heavy price for his tongue slip.

She also said that none of your [Union Home Minister] assurances, mainly a solution for the Kuki-Zo people, made during your visit to Kangpokpi are fulfilled till today.

Neinu, then, urged the Union Minister to initiate and expedite the process of bringing a solution to the demand of the Kuki-Zo people on August 17 talks with the UPF and KNO.

The Kuki-Zo women led by Rev. Sholal, also pray for the Centre Government for their wisdom, and well-being in bringing solutions for the Kuki-Zo people apart from offering prayer for the Kuki-Zo civil society organizations, and volunteers.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills articulated its dismay over the Union Home Minister's statement in the Parliament on August 9 claiming that the current ethnic violence is a result of the influx of "Kukis" from Myanmar following the military coup in February 2021.

Ng. Lun Kipgen, Coordinator of the CoTU's Media Cell said that blaming a minority community for causing mayhem in Manipur is an irresponsible statement and the Committee on Tribal Unity condemned such illogical remarks in the strongest term.

He said that in contradiction to the statement made by the Union Home Minister, there is no such outfit called Kuki Democratic Front in Myanmar or in Manipur.

"The portrayal of an Imaginary and non-existent militant group called Kuki Democratic Front for spearheading the violence in Manipur is a clear indication of established common interest between Union Home Minister and the State", he added.

He said that the Kuki-Zo community is saddened to learn that the Union Home Minister is deviating from the actual issue and forging alliance with the fake valley narratives.

Highlighting the situation in Manipur before the ongoing conflict, he said that the state government had been imposing "One size fit all" policies in the tribal areas by exploiting the loopholes of the Hill Areas Committee and Autonomous District Councils.

He continued that there had been numerous protests against the aggressive and faulty policies of the state government in the hill areas, however, the sentiments and grievances of the tribals, especially, the Kuki-Zo is negated by the display of "Might is right".

Eventually, the subjugation and suppression of tribal rights culminated in a peace rally organized by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur on May 3, denouncing the arbitrariness of the state government.

Subsequently, the State government and its Mercenaries unleashed its might against the Kuki-Zo community, he added.

With regards to the alleged role of illegal immigrants or insurgency causing chaos and conflict in the state, Kipgen said that it has been refuted by Government officials per-se as Defense officials, including Chief of Defense Staff, General Anil Chouhan; Dr. Major (Retd.) Amit Bansal; Lt. General Shokin Chauhan, former DG of Assam Rifles; Lt. General PC Nair, DG Assam Rifles, and others have already clarified in various mediums.

The "Anglo-Kuki War 1917-1919" fought valiantly by the Kukis is self-explanatory against the alleged identity of being termed as illegal Immigrants. The contribution rendered by a hundred and sixty Kuki-Zo freedom fighters alongside Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Indian National Army consolidated the Indianness of the Kuki-Zo community.

So, questioning the legal status of a patriotic community is not only unfortunate but doing injustice to our forefathers including Netaji who fought bravely for India's freedom, he asserted.

Therefore, in spite of addressing the bigotry, hatred, and the acute communalism propagated by the State Government, the Union Home Minister seems to buy the "Illegal-immigrant theory", the same theory that has been burning the state for more than the past hundred days, he further added.

He also said that in such circumstances, the Committee on Tribal Unity urged the Union Home Minister to rephrase his statement and to transcend the barriers of politics so that the concerns of the Kuki-Zo community for a Separate Administration is addressed.