Unabated attacks towards Kuki-Zo people a result of outburst of frustration on talks between GoI and SoO groups: JSB

The Joint Students Body (JSB), Lamka, has claimed that the unabated attacks during the last two days and nights towards the Kuki-Zo people were examples of an outburst of frustration at the talks between the Government of India and Kuki insurgent groups under Suspension of Operation (SoO), which the state government fears would result in acceptance of the legitimate demands.

The student body also condemned the egregious act of trying to disrupt talks between SoO groups and the Union Government which is an ongoing.

"We condemn the highly unethical and heavy attacks on our people and their villages during talks and interactions with central government leaders and officials which has become a mean to disrupt our interactions with the outside world," JSB said in a statement on Thursday.

The student body stated that the visit of the Chief Secretary on Thursday was followed by heavy firing and mortar shelling from Meitei militants and State government forces which has resulted in even more deaths. The visit of the Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) is another contemptible instance of an attempt to disrupt Kuki-Zo links with representatives of the Union Government, it said.

The Joint Students' Bodyalso demanded to the central forces to take strong action to disarm Meitei militants and state security forces, whom it allegedly are the primary cause for all the violence. It also demanded that state security forces be withdrawn beyond the range of Mortars and that strong action be taken to ensure that drones being used to drop explosives on innocent villagers are brought to an end.

Given the alleged gross violation of human rights by the State government in the past three months,  the student body stated that it has lost faith in the ability or sincerity of the Union Government to contain Meitei militants in their attacks on KukiZo people.

The statement further stated that the student body believed in a more resolute Third- Party Intervention in such seemingly unending conflict may eventually become necessary.

The student body also salutes and mourns Kuki-Zo brave martyrs in this time of conflict and strife, who have been martyred in defence of Kuki-Zo ancestral homeland.