Seeking the Central Government’s immediate intervention, thousands of Kuki protesters at Saparmeina village in Kangpokpi district, Manipur on Wednesday reiterated its stand for a solution before peace.
Sticking firmly with the unanimous stance of the Kukis, “solution first, peace next” the protesters strongly urged the government and its machinery not to talk or initiate any peace process before any solution arrives.
Braving the heavy shower, men and women, young and old, lined up along National Highway-2 and shouted, “We want the Central government immediate intervention”. They displayedd various pamphlets.
K Sitlhou, spokesperson of the Committee on Tribals Unity (COTU), Sadar Hills said that CM Biren once again annihilated the confidence of the Kuki people as barely a day after he had admitted his security and intelligence failure, a fresh violence erupted in the heart of the capital city.
“How can we have faith in such governance when even the chief minister could not stick to its own assurance”, he added.
So, the Central Government must immediately intervene with a solution for peace and for that matter the sooner the earlier for restoring peace lies in the court of the Central Government, he asserted.
Slamming the Biren-led government, K Sitlhou said that for the past many decades, the Kukis have been living peacefully without any tension with the valley brethren, but under the leadership of CM Biren, Manipur has witnessed one of its worst communal irreparable tensions.
He then sought the Central Government intervention for immediate action against Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Meanwhile, the COTU Sadar Hills also expressed their deep disappointment over a cabinet minister who reportedly called for an end to the economic blockade along the National Highway.
Responding to the call of the minister, COTU secretary L Singsit said that there is no economic blockade imposed by the committee or any other organizations, it was the people’s voluntary act of resorting to the blockade of the highway since violence erupted on May 3.
He continued that the mobs are beyond the control of the committee and any other organizations while appealing to the minister to come and convince the mobs for ending the blockade.
