As part of the nationwide protest by the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes today, tens of thousands of people marched in 9 towns, including cities and 17 different villages across the country to pressure the central Government to settle the demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes in Manipur.
The Manipur's Kangpokpi chapter of the nationwide mega protest was organized by the Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills under the aegis of the Zo-United, a Kuki-Zo civil society organization's parent body for all Kuki-Zo kindred Tribes in Manipur.
The protest rally in Kangpokpi District was held at Kangpokpi town and Saikul Hill town.
Around ten thousand Kuki-Zo people across Kangpokpi district came out on the street to join the nationwide protest rally which kicked off at Nute Kailhang at around 12:30 p.m.
The thousand protestors marched towards SP Kangpokpi's office via the National Highway 2 to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner Kangpokpi to be forwarded to the Union Home Minister.
Shops, schools, and all other private institutions in the district remained closed for the day.
The protestors denounced the Manipur state government and held placards, such as, "Separate administration is the only solution", "Meitei Government, down, down", "Tribal area, tribal government" and "No solution, No rest".
A similar mega protest rally was also held in Saikul hill town with the same demand to settle the for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes in Manipur.
Adequate security forces have been deployed by the District Administration and District Police to avoid any untoward incident during the rally in Kangpokpi town and Saikul.
CoTU's General Secretary, Lamminlun Singsit said the Kuki-Zo kindred family has endured seven months of ethnic cleansing attack by the majority, who controls the government, and the Kuki-Zo kindred family has borne the brunt of the violence with 203 villages totally burnt down, more than 7000 house burnt down to ashes, 152 souls have lost lives and more than 50,000 displaced.
He continued that the majoritarian policies of the Biren Singh government led to tensions and a complete breakdown of trust between the Meiteis and the tribals and this eventually led to the outbreak of the violence.
He said that we have been butchered and chased out of the capital and the valley areas and the radical Meiteis are publicly saying they will not stop until they chase us all out of Manipur while adding that there is no longer any hope for Kuki-Zo kindred tribes to live a dignified life in a state controlled by the Meitei community.
He then said that a separate administration is the only option for us.
"Don’t take our lack of public acting skills in front of the camera as our insincerity; don’t take our lack of propaganda as our lack of ingenuity; we believe in facts, don’t make the monster out of us, just because we don’t refute or rebut each and every concocted narrative thrown against us: for we know truth will prevail", he added.
He further said that the Kuki-Zo believed in the ‘Rule of Law’, and we believe in our Indian Constitution- as much as we believe in the ‘Rules of Engagement’ with others whether in times of war or peace.
"It is these human values that have kept us different from other communities in post-independent India", he averred.
He also said that women and children are never part of our war; for we know when peace comes, they will bear our testimonies whether we, as a father, brother, or a son have done the right things for them while adding that let us remind ourselves that, wars are fought in battlefields between men; men with arms, not with the hapless, and surely not in someone else’s land or property.
So, it is for the world to see who attacks whom, and where? Sadly, most incidents happen in Kuki-Zo dominated areas by the Meitei militants with the tactical support of the majoritarian administration of the state, he added.
Singsit further said that the Kuki-Zo may be insignificant in numbers, but we are mighty opponents to our enemies. This war is not just between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei community alone, but a State against the Kuki-Zo community. This war was started by two neo-fascists leaders who have radicalized the people with deep hatred that no one can guarantee the safety of other minorities or communities, he added.
The Committee on Tribal Unity urged every right-thinking citizen to join hands and stand with us to fight for our ‘Right to Live’ in our National-Wide Protest Rally under the aegis of Zo-United.
It also stated that we urged all our brethren of the country to stand with us today for freedom from this oppressive government and give a semblance of civility if democracy is to survive.
In the memorandum submitted to the Union Home Minister, the Zo-United stated that nearly seven months have elapsed since the onset of the ethnic cleansing of Kuki-Zo people in Manipur, yet a resolution remains elusive and therefore, it is imperative to underscore to the central government that "this unfortunate episode was not a haphazard eruption of violence but rather the outcome of a meticulously orchestrated scheme by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and his militant associates, including Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun, and radical Meitei intellectuals".
It also alleged that their collective endeavours appear geared towards the perpetration of a majoritarian agenda, necessitating due attention and redressal.
Notwithstanding the pivotal role played by the Manipur Tribal community in India's struggle for independence and their significant contributions to Netaji's INA (evidenced by 80 percent of the martyrs commemorated at the INA memorial complex in Moirang being from Kuki-Zo kindred tribes), an alarming narrative has unfolded in 2023. The Chief Minister and the Meitei media have initiated a pernicious propaganda campaign, characterizing the tribal populace as "illegal immigrants" and systematically influencing the Meitei community to perceive the state, with its three million inhabitants, as imperiled by an inundation of undocumented migrants.
The "War on Drugs" extended its focus to encompass Kuki-Zo kindred tribes, as both the Chief Minister and the Meitei media characterized this community as "poppy cultivators." This disinformation campaign has had the consequential effect of radicalizing the entire Meitei community.
Subsequent to these events, the Chief Minister proceeded with an abrupt and selective enforcement of the Indian Forest Act of 1927, specifically targeting regions inhabited by Kuki-Zo kindred tribes with the aim of land appropriation. The Meitei community, in tandem, intensified its advocacy for Scheduled Tribe status, thereby contributing to the heightened tensions leading up to the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023.
During the outbreak of clashes, it is noteworthy that Kuki-Zo refrained from causing harm to any Meitei civilians in the hills. In stark contrast, Meiteis perpetrated acts of violence resulting in the tragic loss of life of nearly a hundred innocent civilians in Imphal and the surrounding valley.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomerate of Meitei organizations, proclaimed a "National War" against our community. Additionally, Pramot Singh, Chief of Meitei Leepun, issued menacing threats of obliteration during a televised interview. Regrettably, we experienced continued attacks and loss of life, with state forces aligned with the Meitei community permitted to instil terror among our people in Moreh and the neighbouring areas.
Incidents attributed to tribals prompt swift government investigations and subsequent arrests, contrasting sharply with the lack of commensurate actions when tribals themselves are victimized Perpetrators from the Meitei community, exemplified by figures like Arambai Tenggol, persist in unrestricted movement, openly advocating for the genocide of Kuki-Zo through images and videos disseminated on social media. These occurrences underscore our contention regarding a biased government whose actions seem influenced by the preferences of the majority community.
According to the Zo-United the imperative for a 'separate administration' arises from the following urgent considerations.
First, the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes have been forcibly displaced from the capital, Imphal, and the affluent valley regions, rendering any prospect of return unfeasible. Crucial governmental and private educational institutions, technical establishments, healthcare facilities, administrative offices, and the sole airport in the state, all are located in Imphal, thereby becoming inaccessible to our community. Furthermore, our connectivity to the national rail corridor has been severed due to the loss of access to the connecting highway.
Second, the state government, in collusion with all its key organs, and the police who are the law enforcement apparatus, have unequivocally aligned themselves with the Meiteis. The state Commando units have actively spearheaded assaults on tribal villages. Additionally, the prospects of equitable treatment in matters of government recruitment, job placements, and other governmental engagements appear increasingly bleak for our community.
Third, NGOs involved in developmental initiatives, assisted by the Chief Minister, have been diverting funds designated for tribal development. In a recent instance on October 23, 2023 the Chief Minister sought approval from Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda for six projects, collectively valued at crores of rupees, to allocate to Meitei NGOs based in Imphal. Significantly, none of these organizations are dedicated to the welfare of the tribal community.
Fourth, the State's Minister of Education has explicitly stated his intention to expunge a chapter pertaining to "The Kuki" from educational curricula, a conspicuous endeavour aiming at obliterating tribal history from the academic discourse.
Fifth, the government is overtly engaging in discriminatory practices against students hailing from Kuki-Zo kindred tribes.
In the month of August, a considerable number of Psychology students at Rayburn College faced unjust academic evaluations, receiving either single-digit scores or, in some cases, no marks at all in their examinations. Notably, one student even incurred a negative two (-2) in a specific subject
Furthermore, displaced tribal medical students encountered obstruction in attempting their MBBS Phase-I examinations at Churachandpur Medical College (CMC) under Manipur University, despite the National Medical Commission raising no objections. In stark contrast, Meitei students from CMC, who sought refuge in Imphal, were granted permission to undertake their examinations in the capital.
This prevailing situation puts an entire generation of students from Kuki-Zo kindred tribes at risk, as the influence of the Meiteis extends to the governance of all educational institutions and boards.
Sixth, the Government officials from tribal communities, including our Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), are presently impeded from accessing Imphal, rendering them incapable of fulfilling their duties on behalf of their constituencies.
Seventh, regrettably, there has been a complete absence of assistance from the state government. Moreover, essential aid from the central government, including provisions such as food and other necessities, faces obstruction, necessitating redirection through the neighbouring state of Mizoram due to impediments imposed by Meitei groups, preventing the transit of materials to tribal regions.
Eighth, the obstruction caused by Meitei groups on the highway leading to the mainland has rendered it impossible for us to dispatch any documents or parcels through either the governmental or private postal systems.
Ninth, the collective sum of tribal districts possesses only a solitary fully equipped government hospital, namely the district hospital situated in Churachandpur. The shortages and insufficiency of crucial medicines and medical apparatus afflicted the foundational medical facilities within tribal regions.
Tenth, thousands of government-issued weapons, along with lakhs of ammunition, have been disseminated among the Meitei populace residing in Imphal and its vicinity. Regrettably, these armaments are being deployed for activities such as hunting and fatal assaults against tribal communities. Disturbingly, entities like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun have overtly proclaimed their relentless pursuit, asserting their intent of not resting until they eliminate all individuals belonging to the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes or forcibly expel them from the state of Manipur.
Eleventh, the tribal populace of Manipur has been severely deprived of our entitlement rights with regard to resource allocation, as out of Rs. 21,900 Crore resource allocation in the state only a mere Rs. 419 crore had been sanctioned in the hills while 21,481 Crore had been sanctioned in the valley during 2017-2023.
These unequivocally serve as a compelling indicator that cohabitation between the two communities is no longer viable, and the prospect of tribal individuals being accorded equal status as citizens within Manipur, as enshrined by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, appears bleak.
The persistent flow of blood and the pervasive discrimination endured have engendered an insurmountable level of distrust and animosity between the Kuki-Zo kindred tribes and the Meitei community The only solution to alleviate these tensions is the establishment of a separate administration for our community, stated Zo-United in the memorandum.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
