The Indigenous People’s Front Manipur (IPFM) on Tuesday raised a list of questions to Union Home Minister Amit Shah pertaining to the genesis of the present crisis in Manipur.
A statement signed by IPFM advisor Jagat Thoudam listed several questions to apprise Amit Shah concerning the present unrest in the state.
Alleging that the present crisis in Manipur is the creation of Assam Rifles under IGAR (South), Mantripukhri, IPFM questioned Amit Shah whether he was aware of the same.
It questioned if he was aware that SoO militants, especially the KNA/KNO, “which is a terrorist outfit of Myanmar, have grown to a monstrous size and strength in Manipur under the protection of the Assam Rifles.”
It questioned the Union home minister if he is aware that the frontal organisations of the Kuki SoO militant outfits have become so arrogant that “they have been aggressively attacking the majority community for a long time by claiming important religious, historical and protected sites besides reserve and protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries.”
More than half of the geographical area of Manipur has been claimed as Kuki ancestral land which has been made possible by the support from the Kuki Militant outfits, which have in turn become highly confident as they have Assam Rifles as their protectors, IPFM stated, questioning if Amit Shah is aware of the matter.
Area of Manipur being 700 square miles is aggressively put forward to hurt the sentiments of the majority community, it added.
It further stated that Assam Rifles have allowed the Kuki SoO militant outfits to set up several camps outside their designated camps. The camps are even located in buildings in populated areas and have been in existence for a long time under the protection of Assam Rifles, it added.
Mentioning some camps, it stated that the Kuki National Army (KNA) has set up its camp at Moreh Ward No.1 instead of staying put at Chilep, Tengnoupal District Headquarter.
United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) has set up its camp at S Moljol Village, opposite to Chavangphai Assam Rifles Camp, Moreh town instead of staying at its designated camp at Chandel District (for UKLF), IPFM stated.
While the camp of UKLF is at Moreh is, Moreh, both the SoO bound outfits are freely moving in and around the Moreh with arms, extorting money from businessmen and public as well as indulging in abducting and demanding ransom extremely frequently, it stated.
The UKLF is at the non-designated camp of Nazareth Village established by the Assam Rifles at Khambathel (around 1/2 km from Sugnu Bazar) instead of staying at its designated camp, it further stated.
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It questioned Amit Shah if was aware that at Haolenphai Village, around 3 Km from Moreh town, around 70 armed cadres of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Myanmar, and a foreign non-SoO signatory militant outfit is stationed with the full knowledge of the Assam Rifles.
The KNA is training the PDF cadres at Sahei Village and B Bongjang Village with full knowledge of the Assam Rifles, it further stated.
The ethnicisation of trade in Moreh is being facilitated by Assam Rifles to favour Kukis at the expense of the other communities residing there, it continued.
The Assam Rifles has created the conducive environment for the inflow of Kuki migrants from Myanmar and allow illegal poppy cultivation in encroached areas, it stated.
The Kuki frontal organisation like the Kuki Students’ Organisation physically brings in illegal Kuki migrants from Myanmar, their Aadhaar and other related identity documents are prepared by Autonomous District Council at the behest of the Hills Tribal Council, Moreh, it stated.
It is more or less the same phenomena in other Kuki dominated districts of Manipur where different Kuki frontal organisations undertake the task, it stated. IFPM further questioned Amit Shah if he has knowledge of the mentioned points.
The Assam Rifles could have prevented the arson and burning down of Meitei houses/villages on May 3 at Churachandpur, Moreh, and other places, it further stated, adding the Manipur State Government reportedly sent several SoS to the Central Government for timely intervention and assistance.
“Why did not the concerned Ministry act on time? If this had happened, the violence could not have escalated to this scale,” it stated.
Thousands of displaced Meiteis of Churachandpur, Moreh, Motbung, Ekou have no second home to fallback unlike the others who have been displaced from Imphal.
What is happening currently in Manipur is narco-terrorism for creating a homeland led by Kuki SoO militant outfits funded by money from Poppy plantation, Opium manufacturing and drug smuggling, it stated, asking Amith Shah if he is aware of the mentioned issues.
YEMKAL submits memorandum to Amit Shah
The Yelhou Mee Kanba Lup (YEMKAL) on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through state Health Minister Sapam Ranjan Singh which included their 14 charter demands.
The memorandum stated that the peripheral southeastern boundary region of Manipur bordering Myanmar is mostly inhabited by the Kuki tribes who have linguistic affinity and matrimonial relations with the communities inhabiting the neighbouring regions of Myanmar.
Taking advantage of the porous boundary and the affinity with the Kuki tribes of Manipur, lakhs of Myanmar nationals have been illegally entering Manipur for the last couple of decades, it alleged.
It claimed that illegal immigrants along with the drug mafia have incited the prevailing crisis in the state in an attempt to protect their ongoing illegal business by concocting propaganda and spreading hatred and violence among the innocent indigenous communities.
“The powerful drug lords and kingpins along with Kuki militants have started the communal crisis which erupted on May 3 as a retaliation to the CM N Biren led state government measures including eviction of illegal immigrant Chin Kuki inhabitants from the Reserve Forest area, destruction of poppy plantations and implementation of Inner Line Permit System etc. along with the demand for the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) by the indigenous people of Manipur,” it stated.
It mentioned the alleged failure of state and central security forces in controlling the crisis and the reported involvement of central security forces in inciting violence, adding that the crisis has resulted in deaths and casualties in both the confronting communities with many more missing.
Despite the deployment of numerous central security forces, the heavily armed Kuki militants still continue their onslaughts unabated at the innocent civilians in the peripheral regions, it continued.
The memorandum also included YEMKAL’s charter of demands which include restoration of peace in the state and to save its integrity.
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