An open letter to Sri Narendra Damodar Das Modi,
His Excellency, the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Government of India
Imphal, the 24th August, 2023
Dear Hon’ble Sir,
With due respect, being a senior citizen of this vast India or this tiny hill state, MANIPUR, I would like to raise a few questions regarding the present situation where the state is turning into a battlefield due to some hidden agenda of the Government of India or undeclared restrictions imposed by the Central Armed Forces on the innocent people of the state including women and children. We, the poor senior citizens of India hope you will appreciate our concerns and trust that your clear mind will guide you in taking a positive decision.
What is a BUFFER ZONE? Who defines it and how?
The boundary of Bishnupur District is upto Torbung Bangla and Meitei villages are spreading beyond Torbung Bangla upto Churachandpur Town like – Khumujamba Meetei Leikai, etc. Kuki Militants burnt down the Meitei Villages and leveled the remains by using JCB machines and Bulldozers. They were planning to bury the Kuki corpse in this Area on August 3, 2023. Instead of stopping such unlawful activities, the Assam Rifles were supporting the Kukis and blocked the Meitei Meira Paibis to enter the area and justified their action as protection of the BUFFER ZONE. What is a Buffer Zone and is there any notification for declaring such a Buffer Zone in Manipur? Is it allowed to do ANY ACTIVITY against the interest of the other party in such a so called BUFFER ZONE? We are a civilized educated society (not like Kuki liars), if it is required to establish a buffer zone, please define it and announce it through a proper Notification instead of keeping in Army Diary and torturing the un-armed ladies with Lathis, Chemical Spray or Electric shock.
That Sir, the Assam Rifles are not acting as a Neutral Force. Torbung, Torbung Bangla and Khumujamba Meitei Leikai are Meitei Area. The Khumujamba Meitei villages, Churachandpur was burnt down by the Kukis as early as 12 hrs. on May 3, 2023 and Torbung Bangla Meitei village in Bishnupur District was also burnt down at 15 hrs. on the same day. The remains of the villages have been bull-dozed subsequently and cleared off the debris. How does this area become a Buffer Zone? Why are the Meiteis not even allowed to visit their ancestral land?
For the time being, the high voltage tension in the area is neutralized due to the timely early morning Order of Manipur High Court to maintain Status Quo in the Area and also, the intervention of MHA, to postpone the Burial program.
The Role of Assam Rifles?
The Role of Assam Rifles in this trouble torn state is questionable. The Torbung area upto Khumujamba Meitei Leikai is Meitei area. Hence Meteis objected to the proposed mass burial of the Kuki bodies in this area. Meiteis disposed of the bodies of the Meitei martyrs in their respective local crematorium with due respect with their families, friends and relatives without any further delay. But the Kukis are piling up the corpse without any respect to the departed souls for political game and tried to encroach upon Meitei Villages as a permanent Memorial Site to perform mass burial on August 3, 2023.
The unarmed Meitei Meira Paibis were stopped by the Assam Rifles and Rapid Action Force at Foubakchao blocking the Main Road with Barbed wire barricades with electric current connection followed by lathi charge and spraying chemical sprays on 3rd August 2023; causing hospitalization of about 30 ladies with severe injury. But Assam Rifles allowed the Kukis to do their activities in this area without any restriction.
What is this BUFFER ZONE? What is the game plan of Assam Rifles? In the early morning of 5th August 2023, three Meitei men, including a father-son duo, were killed by the Kukis while they were sleeping in their bed. On getting the news of hiding the Kuki Militants somewhere at Kwakta Ward No.8, the State Force went to arrest the miscreants but they were stopped by Assam Rifles by blocking the road and parking their three CASPER VEHICLES in the middle, which resulted in the escaping of the Kuki militants and subsequently led to the filing of an FIR against the Assam Rifles by the State Force. Not only at Torbung, they are at loggerhead with the State Police at Sugnu Police Station also. This is the same Central Force who gang raped and murdered Thangjam Manorama after picking her up from her own house at the mid night of 10th July 2004 under the shadow of AFSPA.
The Assam Rifles are acting as an enemy towards the valley people of Manipur. We request the withdrawal of this biased, ill willed and corrupt Force that is tarnishing the image of Indian Defense Force from the soil of Manipur by replacing it with another Central Armed Force to bring a sense of unbiased peace keeping efforts by the Centre.
Who are the Kukis?
The Kukis are not indigenous communities of Manipur but nomad tribes who have migrated to Manipur in different waves from the far-east. The Kukis are in the habit of changing everything – the name of places, villages, Towns, Cities, Districts, Hill Peaks, Temples, History of the state, etc. and reclaiming the ownership of such places. They have changed the original names of a large number of Meitei villages in Chandel and Churachandpur Districts to Kuki names, during this turmoil, as evident from the lost PM-JAY Cards & Ration Cards which are re-distributed recently at the Meitei Relief Camps.
What is the reason/urgency to change the name of places/villages during this period? They have even influenced the Indian Airlines to change the address of the Imphal Airport to Lamka, which was restored subsequently. Why should necessary action not be taken up against these officials? Also the Kuki Scholars are distorting the history of Manipur by writing false narratives to mislead the common people in general and the young generations in particular for their political gain. The glory example being the non-existent so called Anglo Kuki War; thereby erecting a Centenary Gate at Churachandpur! What a great Shame! Why should suitable action not be taken up against such cheaters?
Hon’ble Sir, it is an open fact that most of the Kuki leaders are men of Foreign origin. Mr. Thanlianpau Guite, President ZRO said that he hailed from Myanmar and successfully contested election in Myanmar as a Member of Parliament from Tonzang Constituency in 1990 and came to Manipur thereafter and formed his ZRO in 1993. This clearly shows that he is of Foreign origin and the Government of India is negotiating with him? Mr Khenchin, President cum Secretary ZRA is from Chin State of Myanmar. Mr. PS Haokip, Chairman KNA is of Burmese origin, stationed at Nagaland. Mr David Hangshing, the President KRA is of Burmese origin and married to Mrs Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, the sitting MLA of Saikul Assembly Constituency of Manipur. Mr ST Thangboi Kipgen @ Semma Kipgen, Chairman KNF and UPF is the husband of Mrs. Nemcha Kipgen, the Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry & Co-Operation Manipur. Mr. Ginza Vualzong, the ITLF Spokesperson, neither knows the importance of August 15 to the people of India nor the Term ``INDEPENDENCE DAY” and claimed himself to be an indigenous people of Manipur (India).
The Independence Day was celebrated at Churachandpur on 15th August 2023, dipping down the National Flags and also displaying the Indian National Flag upside down, even at Foreign City like Washington DC, etc. defying the Flag Code. Whether the Government of India has initiated any action against the so-called indigenous Foreign Nationals? Is it prudent on the part of the Union Home Minister or the Govt. of India to negotiate with such Foreign Militants to disturb the peaceful State of Manipur?
Also some civil contingents in the private Independence Day Parade demonstrated various sophisticated Firearms with full combat dress. Is it legally permissible to display Firearms in such Independence Day Parade by civilians? Whether the Central Government has initiated to investigate the excess activities of these Foreign miscreants and also to trace the sources of the Sophisticated Firearms?
Poppy plantation?
The Chin Kuki illegal immigrants sneaked into the hills of Manipur from Myanmar and indulged in large scale Poppy plantation, clearing the Reserved Forests; resulting in complete deforestation of the entire hills. As a result the environment/Climate of Manipur has completely changed. The Rainfall of the State has become deficient since the last couple of years, hampering the agriculture activity in the State. Your Honor may be aware that Manipur has neither effective irrigation system nor Dam to mitigate the shortage of rainfall in agriculture and hence the Farmers are dependent on the Rain Water only for one time paddy plantation in a year. Hence if there is any deficiency in Rainfall it directly hampers the agriculture activities in the state.
Some Aerial Photos of some of the hills in Churachandpur District are appended herein below, showing the complete devastation of the once evergreen hillslopes.
Infamous Drug Route?
The important International Boundary Fencing/wall is still incomplete after almost 74 years of merger of the Princely State to the Indian Union. Thus the illegal foreign influx could not be checked properly in the 400 Km. long Manipur’s International border with Myanmar. Thus the illegal trade of Narcotic Drugs through these porous borders makes the state a drug route for the entire India. Why can’t we complete the border fencing to stop these menaces forever?
Hon’ble Sir, the Kukis are claiming as the original settlers and denied the foreign immigrant tag. To solve this controversy it is the most humble prayer of a poor senior citizen of Manipur, to please implement the NRC, deport the foreign nationals, complete the border fencing and seize all the illegal firearms at the earliest.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
N Singhajit Singh
Soibam Leikai, Ayangpalli Road
Oppo: SAYC Community Hall
Imphal East, MANIPUR – 795 001
(You can reach the writer @ 87874 08292 or nsinghajit2017@gmail.com)
