Kasom Khullen Incidence: a time for retrospection

By Joel Mangboi Haokip *

A lot has been said and done so far in the brutal murder case of Dr. Th Kishan and his two subordinate staff at Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul district by the proscribed NSCN (IM). The incident has widely captured the media fraternity and has been widely publicised almost daily.

Scores of condemnation notes has been poured out from every section of the community against for the ghastly act of the perpetrator. Much to the amazement, various underground outfits operating in the state have also voiced their concern (at least through the media) on this very prevailing sensitive situation where making a communally charged word could trigger undesirable consequences. It is significant that rarely do such a univocal and vociferous condemnation poured out from all quarters of the society.

In this age of notoriously communal intolerance, it is good news to cheer that the brutality against some vested interest group could still be protested barring communal lines. But even after so much public outcry, the perpetrator seems uncooperative; and tries to get out of this mess ignoring the sensitivity of the case.

Such callousness on the part of the perpetrator has had fomented distrust and communal discord which tantamount to a longer impression of communal hate. This can best be substantiated by the incidence of Kuki genocide being driven out by the Naga Limguards at the behest of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Issak-Muivah), NSCN (IM) in the 90s. Had the genocide never been occurred, the historical affinity and peaceful co-existence between the Kukis and Nagas would have never been affected as of today.

The communally motivated anti-social elements like the NSCN (IM) has have destroyed the harmony and peaceful atmosphere by brainwashing the frustrated Naga youths of Manipur to target the Kukis in the name of Nationalism. This has drawn the partition between the two communities that cannot be bridged like ever before. It is the sad consequential that so-called champions of the Naga people could bring about between the Kukis and Nagas.

With no sign of remorse, this time again the same demon has struck the higher-up bureaucrats of other community (Meitei) allegedly to spring up animosity vis-à-vis Meiteis and Nagas. Not to mention about the gravity of the crime and the scene that the victim's bodies have been dumped at the Kuki village so that they could be targeted, one thing is clear enough to indicate that the conspiracy behind the murder was apparently to flare-up communal tension between the Kukis and Meiteis or between the Nagas and Meiteis.

It is time for everyone to contemplate about the true nature of NSCN (IM) masquerading as a Revolutionary's and its propaganda that even doesn't concern for its own community. The kidnapping and brutal murder case of Martin and Hubert and Lungnila Elizabeth were few instances that the proscribed outfit had been involved with. Regarding the murder of Th. Kishan, an officer with high dignity, it was nothing but a repetition of their high-handedness in the past upon Kukis.

Long before the height of Kuki genocide of the 90s, the NSCN (IM) first targeted many of the influential Kuki chiefs, high ranking officials and Leaders and then the common people. This time around too, after targeting the influential persons, they could lay their trap upon innocent people fomenting communal flare-up like we witnessed in the 90s.

Such communal hate politics propagated by the NSCN (IM) is nothing but to quench their bloody thirst or simply to meet their selfish end. For peace and communal harmony to regain, we must join hand irrespective of communities and time to fight for such anti-social activities harbour for so long by the said outfit else we will remain as the victims to this dirty game that disseminates communal card.

Such anti-social demeanour instigated by NSCN (IM) should not be viewed in communal lines instead should be treated as at par with the mafia gang whose activities are for their selfish gain. And such blood-sucker mafia shouldn't be allowed a space to further its mission.

Whatever might be the reason for the murder; the momentum of such a contemptible and horrific action of the perpetrators deserve highly condemnable. Every right thinking person would not leave any stone unturned, to do everything that can be done against the perpetrators so that the culprits should not go scot-free. In the current case, the best is to tried for justice as soon as possible and this can best be achieved through the support of NSCN (IM) to hand over the culprits to the concerned Authorities before things turn out from bad to worse. Making an excuse of merely dubbing its own cadres involved in the murder as black sheep will not bring any reasonable solution. Action speaks louder than voice.

There had been many such gruesome incidences that we have witnessed carried out most by some anti-social elements and so-called Revolutionary groups. But anytime such happens, justice has been hardly delivered and the pains and humiliations of the victims get just manifold. The usual concerned Authorities too seem never bothered about it. The assurances made to book the culprits to justice remains a far off dream.

In most of the cases, the concerned Authorities did not buckle under pressure and no attempt was made to capture the perpetrators. Eventually, the cases died down with nothing concrete solution. Moreover, while we make a hue and cry over any such injustice meted upon us, we first seem to ignoring this fashion. The reason behind it is the high influence of communal tinge that has blind us to drawn away from the path to justice. Unless we stop doing so, we will continue to remain as the victims to such pool of injustice.

There are innumerable cases that need to ponder about the widespread abuses of justice. More or less, we used to be the first to promulgate communal colours whenever or whatsoever cases that we deal with. Take the cases of the mass deportation of innocent Kukis, Mass rape of Parbung and Lungthulien women, the murder of T.Thangthuam and so and so. Nothing visible relief has been done in the said above cases and the victims were being deprived of justice. Of course, justice have been delivered to some extends through a meager compensation but it would be an incomplete one unless the culprits were put behind the bar for their heinous perpetrations.

Kukis have been suffering for long in the cruelty hands of the valley-based outfits like the UNLF and RPF/PLA in one hand and the hill-based NSCN (IM) on the other. Had the Kukis been a little intolerance, it could have tantamount to a lasting impact of communal hatred that could be arising out of it. Not to mention all, take the instance of T.Thangthuam case, who was an IPS (Intelligence) officer. It was a well laid plan and a premeditated one. He was "murdered" as a 'new year gift' to the people of churachandpur by the proscribed PLA/RPF on 31st December, 2005.

Targeting a high-ranking Kuki officer accompanied by a provocative note, 'a new year gift to the people of churachandpur', unequivocally suggest to as demeaning the Kukis and on the other hand, a direct challenge to the Kuki Nation. Moreover, many a time, the same outfit has been targeting the regular patrolling unit of security forces in the crowded market of Lamka town which amount to civilians casualties and also inflicted fear psychosis or insecurities among the common people.

The same episode has been carried out by its counterpart, the UNLF in the hill areas of Churachandpur and Chandel districts. I myself was a victim to witness such a death-trap cross-firing scene between the PLA/RPF and security forces that happened in the crowded singngat parking lot in Lamka town few years back.

Nevertheless, besides causing such damage in terms of human lives and properties, the cheap mission of the perpetrators couldn't have shaken the faith of kukis towards the path to peaceful co-existence and communal harmony. Thanks to the broad-minded Kuki leaders in particular and the submissive approach of the common people in general for upholding the value of tolerance otherwise would have been an ugly consequences. But this doesn't mean to inspire the perpetrators to test the patience of Kukis. Everything has the limit.

Yet, rather than apologizing for their misdeeds, the said outfits justified their horrible cruelties thereby engaged in fabricating the truth accusing the Kukis of being a communal, a stooge of the security forces and many more. Wearing a sheep's skins, these wolves main mission is to ousted the Kukis from their lands and suppress them. Kukis being an amiable people has stirred the perpetrators as a soft target.

As the saying goes, "cheap people do cheap things" is best exemplified by these outfits. Had they been suffering as Kukis, the repercussion arising from their action would have been a disastrous one for the people of Manipur as a whole. This could be demonstrated in the case of Dr. Th Kishan. The proscribed PLA/RPF and UNLF were the first valley outfits to issue notes of condemnation with warning tones.

And the NSCN (IM) had slain 10 Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) cadres in an unprecedented manner after hoodwinking them. The reason behind the killing was for a petty one. While they couldn't tolerate even a trivial blunder committed by the Kukis, who the hell are they to indulged in mass perpetration of uncountable offensives against Kukis?

What if the Kukis would have retaliated for the untold miseries and sufferings that they have been undergoing instigated most by their neighbouring people like Meiteis and Nagas? It would have changed the image of Manipur to a certain period if not forever. When the Nagas and Meiteis are so much communal in their approach pertaining to all spheres, accusing the Kukis unnecessarily which is conflicting with their ideology and principle will bear no fruits and would only be a futile one. Unless they desist from such myopic game plan and petty ambitions in mobilizing communal politicking, unethical pursuit of unscrupulous killings toward Kukis, the future of Manipur is dim and warrants nothing prospective.

If one would have posed a question as to who first brought hell to Manipur, The obvious common response would have been pointed towards the NSCN (IM) and the UNLF. Being the first underground outfits from Manipur, they were the first to engage in extortions, involved in killing the innocents and brought insecurity to the people of Manipur. The draconian law, AFSPA had to be imposed to contain their rampant high-handedness.

Being communal outfits, they brought about the reality of communal politics hence targeting other communities especially the Kukis. Such were the most they could do as gifts to the people of Manipur. Yet, ignoring their gaffes, both still cosseted in blaming the Kukis with no fault of theirs. Worse of all, ignoring the high-handedness of NSCN (IM) against Kukis, the Central govt. has commence a ceasefire agreement with the outfit overlooking the plights of the Kukis.

It is time we need to ask ourselves, why is our condition and situation still a mess despite all the attention? May be most of us who are supposed to fix it don't know how. Consider how we handle so-called crimes/criminals in Manipur. The administrative response to it is usually ad hoc and much of the media coverage just provocative.

In most cases, the media and the local officials hastily label the criminals as barbaric or inhumane, making people panic and together hound the top authorities who, in turn, save their skin by issuing orders to investigate the case or make assurances that never to be fulfilled. Mindless killing of innocent people has become almost a daily routine where simple step like effective law enforcement and commitment could avoid many crimes from further recurrence.

Many consider it a major triumph for the administration if they can avoid containing the militants through force instead initiate a cease fire agreement with them. But this is a misconception prompts to argue that peace and security could revived only with the participations of public at large and fight anti-social elements amidst us. But why blame only administrative system when many of our babus are not angels but merely bureaucrats? It would be better and productive if we could build a united social movement against all sorts of criminal tendencies abating the social build-up.

The fault, indeed, lies in the fundamentals. No amount of political will or mere condemnations can turn the tide in the absence of dedicated social will.