'Peace without justice will be a futile attempt': Kuki body tells Govt, Demands white paper on looted arms

While appreciating the pro-active steps of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, and the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, in restoring peace, Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has reiterated that any attempt for peace forgoing the deliverance of justice would be a futile attempt.

In a press statement issued on Sunday (February 2), human rights body of the Kukis alleged that the recent innitiative taken up by the Government was construed as a mere exercise to further pacify certain community and forced peace upon the resilent victims as it conveniently derided the imperative for justice and overlooked the gravity of the gruesome atrocities committed against the Kuki-Zo people.

It stated that the surrender of looted firearms, though seemingly a step in the right direction, has been executed in a manner that sets a dangerous precedent.

"The Meitei community looted large portions of state armories, which were then used to carry out ethnic cleansing. Yet, those responsible continue to roam free without consequences. Worse still, no deterrence mechanisms have been put in place to prevent such acts in the future," KOHUR said, adding that engaging the perpetrators Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun as stakeholders rather than holding them accountable only reinforces the notion that they can act with impunity.

"Without accountability, there is no guarantee that such looting will not recur."

Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust, while welcoming Government's peace initiative, stated that an imposed reconciliation would be meaningless and could serve as a catalyst for further violence.

The Organisation demanded a comprehensive White Paper on Looted Arms. It called upon the government to publish a detailed report on arms looted from state armories and police stations in both Kuki-Zo and Meitei districts, specifying the types and quantities of weapons recovered in each area.

As there is a lack of accountability for Armed Meitei Groups, the Kuki human rights body demanded transparency regarding the failure to recover sophisticated firearms linked to Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun, and YUM, allegedly Biren Singh's private militia. "The government's inaction raises concerns about its true intentions and whether it is enabling these groups to target the Kuki-Zo community," it said.

KOHUR also demanded immediate cancellation of the peace agreement (or suspension of operation) with Meitei Armed Groups, including UNLF- P who are responsible for the murder of innocent Kuki-Zo civilians and the burning of villages.

With regard to lack of transparency in recovery efforts of looted arms, the Kuki body mentioned unofficial reports which suggest that 90% of arms looted from police stations in Kuki-Zo areas have been recovered. It demanded the same level of scrutiny and action of recovering looted arms in Meitei-dominated areas.

In light of those demands, KOHUR has sought a formal response from the government, addressing their concerns and outlining concrete steps to ensure justice and accountability.

Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust also mentioned disparity in imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the hills and valley, most areas of the Imphal Valley remain exempted.

"Given that the valley served as the epicenter of orchestrated attacks on the periphery, AFSPA should have been imposed there long ago in the interest of fairness unless certain communities are being granted an unchecked right to kill," it stated.

KOHUR asks: "Does this disparity in law enforcement exist merely for electoral gains?"

The Kuki Organisation further asserted that he initial planning of ethnic cleansing and active participation of the state government, alongside Arambai Tenggol, Meitei Leepun, and valley-based insurgent groups,  was an undeniable and well-documented fact. Yet, it said, the Meitei community has shown no remorse and continues to propagate false narratives about the origins of this conflict. "Is the government oblivious to these facts or is it a deliberate attempt to side the perpetrators of the violence?", it questioned.

KOHUR stressed that true reconciliation would be possible when the Meiteis were willing to objectively reassess the events, acknowledge their actions, and ensure justice for the Kuki-Zo victims. "Until healing, both emotional and physical, is achieved and security guarantees are in place, peace will remain an illusion."

Alleging grave injustice meted to the Kuki-Zo people, the Human Rights body contended that Justice Ajay Lamba Commission, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has yet to table its report and similarly, the Supreme Court-monitored judicial inquiry remains silent, with no known investigations or arrests of those responsible for heinous crimes, including mass violence and gang rapes. "Adding insult to the victims, attempts continue to shield Biren Singh, while Kuki-Zo volunteers who are merely protecting their vulnerable communities are relentlessly pursued by security forces," it alleged.

While cautioning the government's plan to forcibly remove defensive bunkers and reopen roads as alarming, KOHUR  contended that it risks exposing the Kuki-Zo people to renewed attacks from Meitei militants. "Opening highways without prior reconciliation and a political resolution is akin to inviting further violence," it said.

"If the government now claims it can secure buffer zones, we must ask: Why did it fail to do so earlier, before our villages were burned? The cries of our slaughtered brethren still haunt us. If the Government of India failed to protect them then, the least it owes them now is justice."

"Peace and reconciliation should be a process, not an imposed directive. True closure must take place at individual, family, and community levels. This can only happen when the orchestrators of violence are prosecuted and a political solution is reached with constitutional safeguards ensuring that the Meitei majority cannot trample upon the Kuki-Zo minority at will," it added.

Furthermore, KOHUR stated that the youths who were trained to defend their land and are now battle-hardened could not be expected to immediately abandon their arms and pick up the pen. Many already feel deeply aggrieved, and there is a widespread perception within the Kuki-Zo community that even the central government has taken a partisan stance in this conflict.

"Former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai explicitly stated that the BJP-led central government has sided with the Meiteis. Such feelings of betrayal cannot be dismissed," it said.

The Organisation asserted that it is in the best interest of all stakeholders to ensure a just and honorable resolution, rather than a forced closure that offers no real solutions.