As the 24-hour total shutdown imposed by the Committee on Tribal Unity commenced at midnight on April 13, a sea of Kuki-Zo people inundated National Highway 2 at daybreak protesting against the inhuman Phailengmol’s killing, shooting of innocent Kuki-Zo labourers at Gamgiphai and the wilful disregard of the Model Code of Conduct by valley the people and the armed militia.
The simultaneous Massive protest rally and the 24-hour total shutdown under the aegis of the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills crippled normal life in the district as all business establishments remained closed and vehicular movements were restricted except those exempted from the purview of stir.
The monumental 2 km rally, originating from Motbung, looping back at Gamgiphai, and returning, witnessed the fervent participation of thousands of Kuki-Zo, predominantly women, resounding with powerful chants: “Bihar Regiment Down, Down,” “N Biren Singh, Shame, Shame,” “We demand NIA intervention,” “Separate Administration Now,” and “No Separate Administration, No Solution.”
The remains of Kamminlal Lupheng and Kamlengsat Lunkim, the two Kuki-Zo Volunteers in their twenties, lie unfound and unrecovered for burial. They were dragged, their faces brutalized, shot multiple times after desecrating, and their arms brutally hacked off with machetes.
Speaking to the media, CoTU’s Media Cell Convenor, Ng. Lun Kipgen said that today’s protest addresses the grave human rights violations and the Election Commission of India’s silence regarding the blatant disregard of the Model Code of Conduct by the Meitei community and their armed militia.
“Their cowardly actions toward the bodies of two Kuki-Zo village volunteers are reprehensible, constituting one of the most gruesome human rights violations in recent memory”, he added.
He continued that the world woke up when two Kuki-Zo women were shamefully paraded naked by Meitei mobs in the presence of state forces while adding that despite brief statements, the Prime Minister, stopped short of pointing fingers at the perpetrators.
He also said that for the past 11 months, the Kuki-Zo community had suffered relentless atrocities at the hands of the majoritarian community unfortunately led by fascist leaders.
He further said that incidents such as this, are a clear indication by the current dispensation to pivot the election mood from losing too fast while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s choice of leadership in Manipur is one of the BJP’s greatest political miscalculations in the last decade.
Additionally, Kipgen also questioned as to why the Phailengmol area in Kangpokpi District falls under the valley’s police jurisdiction when it should be under Kangpokpi police and urged the Centre Government to instruct the state Government to put the Phailengmol area under the Kangpokpi District Police.
While conveying the Kuki-Zo people’s hope for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), CoTU’s Media Cell Convenor, Ng. Lun Kipgen urged the NIA to swing into action as it swung on the previous cases stating that we too have video evidence for the case as much as they had verbal evidence then.
Ng. Lun Kipgen underscored that despite the imminent conclusion of the 24-hour total shutdown on April 14 at midnight, the solemn duty of laying our fallen heroes to rest remains unfulfilled due to their bodies not being located while adding that we reserve the right to engage in democratic protest until their bodies are returned to us.
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Manipur and various other organisations, including , ITLF, KSO Sadar Hills, TYA Sadar Hills, also condemned the gruesome inhumane act of the Meitei militants.
