Land of jewel trapped under decades old conspiracies ?
- Part 1 -

Oinam Ajit Singh *

May 3rd , will be marked as the biggest organised attack, on the structures and demography of Manipur, under what could possibly be termed as a result of decades old preparedness by Kuki bodies against the State.

The Tribal Solidarity March, organised under the banner of All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) , on 3rd May, in the hill districts was to gather maximum Kuki bodies, in its strong belts of Churachandpur, Kangookpi and Moreh. Organizing the solidarity march despite the imposition of CrPC 144 in Churachandpur, was aimed at forming a maximum possible force, to execute the sudden attack, upon the unarmed Meiteis. Here, understanding the real “ATSUM” becomes very important

All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM), the very name, is itself a sort of a misnomer. The organisation, is mainly headed by Kuki community and functions, in the vested interest of the community. Absorbing the name of all tribals, the Kuki leaders of the organisation has been continuously, attacking the sentiments of the larger interest, for overall growth. Hence exaggerating their lone unhealthy, narrow movements and conspiracies, with visible attempts of portraying an inclusive picture, of all tribals, in the larger frame.

In every movement of the organisation, that has been carried out so far, there has always been issues, of inviting serious communal conse- quences, with fabricated stories of depriving tribal rights by the State authority.

The organisation has been focusing its effort, to attract the other indigenous tribes, in their movements which have always aimed to deliver, best possible impacts, on the peaceful co-existence. Functioning in a complete parallel strategies, of ATSUM, another civil body of the Kuki community, based in Churachandpur, Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), which has been purely set up to challenge the identity of illegal migrants tag on those who intruded into the State illegally, from Burma.

Applying the theories of trouble hit victims, by the military law in the neighbouring country and with the theories of Kuki customary laws of intermarriages, beyond boundaries, Kukis have been notoriously taking the law in their own hands in settling the illegal migrants, where the administration rarely reach out. These illegal Kuki intruders, are mostly sheltered in Churachandpur and Moreh, amidst the early Kuki settlers in the State.

The question is why only the Chin Kuki intrude illegally into the State. Lakhs of Meitei people have been living Burma since 1819. Today Meitei community in Myanmar, are contributing to the progress of the country.

Not a single Meitei of Burmese Nationality has illegally crossed the border or intruded into the State till today. Not only Meiteis, there are also handsome number of Tamils, Nepalis contributing their part to the country, since the British colonial period but they not intruded into Manipur illegally.

When all these communities never intrude illegally into India, why is it that illegal entry is only from the Kuki community. The reason could be something ulterior and that is enter ilegally and get enrolled in the electoral roll of the State and today the illegal immigrants have become the biggest problem. Interestingly the said organisation ITLF, too, had visibly been putting its best efforts, in challenging the demography, posing a serious threat to the internal security of the State and the country, in the name of tribal rights.

Coming back to the main issue of how the current turmoil in the State, has been built up since the outbreak of the clash on May 3rd at Churachandpur, Kuki bodies have been found taking lead roles, in attacking the unarmed Meitei civilians, residing in and around Churachandpur. Every single act of violence in Churachandpur, on that very day, was a preplanned structural attack, under the garb of a solidarity march, where heavily armed Kuki militants, could be seen taking part in the rally.

The question how permission was given to conduct the rally in Churachandpur. Despite the imposition of CrPC 144 on May 3, following the burning of an open gym in Churachandpur in the evening of April 27, which was yet to be inaugurated by the CM N Biren Singh.

The brutal attacks by the heavily armed Kukis on the unarmed Meiteis, in and around Churachandpur that further spread to the adjoining Meitei villages in Bishnupur districts was more or less an ethnic cleansing campaign, to completely erase, the existence of the innocent Meiteis, from their own homes.

Here, if the arguments of the Kukis, that Meiteis residing in the present hill areas violates the State Act of hills being reserved for only Scheduled Tribes, Kukis, should know very clearly that the Meiteis, residing in hill areas of present Chura-chandpur district, Kang- pokpi district, Moreh and Kwatha Khullen under Tengnoupal district, have been inhabiting those areas, since the time of the then kingdom of Manipur, which is much before the arrival of the so called new Kukis, and much before the implementation of MLR and LR Act in 1962.

There were no such rules, in any form that restrict any indigenous community in purchasing land or in possessing land in the hill areas of the State, before 1962. So, the population of an indigenous majority community, residing in the hill districts, much before the implementation of MLR and LR Act, should never be a point of any debate or linked to the current turmoil in the state.

The Kuki bodies, influenced by the drug lords and illegal Kuki migrants, should never forget that they are not the authority, to decide or make any judgement, on the existing residential structures of Meiteis, in the present hill districts, of the State.

Again, the notorious armed campaign of the Kukis, in and around Churachandpur, which started on the evening of May 3 at around 3.30 pm, was an attack on the innocent lives and properties of the unarmed Meiteis in the said areas.

Lack of proper interference from the law enforcing agencies in the said areas, encouraged the armed Kukis in further stretching their attack at parts of adjoining Meitei villages in Bishnupur district . Giving another serious blow, a large number of Kuki mobs along with heavily armed Kuki militants, started attacking unarmed Meitei civilians, at Moreh too. Not to be forgotten here, despite their few numbers , the State police commandos, posted in the border town of Moreh, tried their best efforts neutralise, the advancing Kuki attackers.

Due to lack of proper and timely reinforcement provided to the police commandos in Moreh town, their attempts to neutralise the open attack was hindered. More than 1000, Meitei houses were torched leaving more than 10,000, innocent Meitei civillians homeless overnight.

Witnessing the live footages of Meiteis villages, being burnt to ashes by armed Kukis in the said areas and the scenes of innocent Meitei victims, running for their lives ,with small kids in their arms has deepened the wounds of the Meiteis in Imphal. Meiteis as a majority community of the State have been for tolerating the demands of the Kuki separatist leaders. This time the notorious acts of the armed Kuki bodies mercilessly attacking the unarmed innocent Meiteis, has deepened the wounds of the Meiteis.

The notorious merciless acts of the Kukis against the innocent Meiteis in Churachandpur, at the adjoining Meitei villages of Torbung area under Bishnupur district and at the international border town of Moreh sowed the seeds of the clash. No paramilitary force or State force, were seen taking up proper satisfactory action against the open attack by heavily armed Kuki militants.

Adding more fuel to the anger of the publics, here in Imphal, Meitei civilian protestors, flowing in from different directions of the city areas, were charged with extreme actions by the combined State and Central forces, deployed to protect the Kuki residential areas.

Few abandoned Kuki houses were torched at Imphal areas at around 8.45 pm of May 3, but the aggressive actions to protect the Kuki residential areas, by the large number of combined forces of the State and Central paramilitary forces, finally took control over the situations in Imphal. Mouthpiece of the Kuki separatist leaders, should know very clearly that for the Meiteis their homes are not just a house.

There are yearlong dreams and memories attached with their ancestral roots from generations in Churachandpur and Moreh, that have been crushed to ashes overnight. At such a juncture and positions of the Meiteis of losing everything within a span of few hours, in the attack of the armed Kukis how can the Kuki intellectuals, expect silence from the other side.

Attempts to mislead the entire Nation which are far beyond the truth, should be exposed with proofs and with strict measures to stop further violence in the State. It is not about encouraging any violent moves from any side.

To be continued...