Lodges complaint with government over threats of KPLF/KPLA and TIK
Date - 16th February 2018

The Thadou Students’ Association, General Headquarters (TSA-GHQ) has submitted a complaint letter to the Chief Minister of Manipur, Director General of Police, Manipur and Chief Secretary of Manipur for urgent necessary action in connection with the vile and unlawful diktats of and armed militant group, the Kuki People Liberation Front/Kuki People Liberation Army (KPLF/KPLA), and Tellang Insung Kiloikhom, Manipur (TIK-M) against leaders of TSA and Thadou Inpi, the apex body of Thadou tribe, to resign from their positions without any valid reason.

Mention may be made that a diktat of the TIK-M dated October 18, 2017 that appeared in Eimi Times on October 19, 2017, threatening leaders of Thadou Inpi as well as TSA to comply with the diktat and step down from their respective positions, was signed by its president, Tongkholun Haokip, who is reportedly a government employee. And, the first declaration or diktat, also signed by Tongkholun Haokip and Secretary Kaikholen Haokip (a Sub-Inspector in the state police department), stated that it was done at the initiative of Shri Tongmang Haokip, a retired IRS and now a politician and an active worker of Indian National Congress.

Moreover, one TL Ngamkhothang Haokip, president of TIK, Moreh block also issued a similar decree threatening leaders of TSA and Thadou Inpi to disown Thadou tribe and also resign from the positions at the earliest.

Meanwhile, in what appears to be an escalation of the TIK’s diktat, an armed militant group, the KPLF/KPLA, in a separate diktat issued by its information & publicity secretary, Demkhoneh, and published in Eimi Times on January 28, 2018, without any valid reason warned TSA Moreh block leaders of dire consequences if they do not resign before May 15, 2018.

In this regard, James Mate, Secretary, Information and Publicity, KPLF/KPLA-MC, has issued a clarification (published in Eimi Times, January 31), disowning and condemning the diktat issued against TSA while maintaining that there is no KPLF/KPLA other than them and that it was the handiwork of KNA/KNO faking as KPLF/KPLA. The KNA/KNO, a SoO signatory armed group which has on previous occasions unleashed a reign of terror on TSA leaders and Thdou cultural troupe, has not made any clarification regarding this matter.

TSA had served separate ultimatums to TIK-M and KPLF/KPLA through Eimi Times to withdraw their diktats, but none of them have responded although it is already past the deadline. Though the motive behind the issuance of the diktats of the TIK and KPLF/KPLA is unspecified or unclear, it seems that they are motivated by some vested interests to stir up hate and communal tensions in the community for some political or selfish gains.

TSA do not take these threats and diktats lightly and is gravely concerned about the prevailing risky situation and a potential communal crisis as fallout of the diktats which is tantamount to an act of terrorism. The situation requires an urgent intervention of the government and law enforcement agencies as TIK or some of its leaders and the KPLF/KPLA or KNA/KNO appear to have been collaborating to cause terror in the community and to harm leaders and members of TSA and Thadou community. Also, the diktats promote and perpetuate hate crime and communal disharmony and are potential of causing unwanted widespread communal riots any time if not immediately dealt with effectively and seriously by government authorities concerned.

In light of this pressing situation, TSA has fervently demanded that the government takes necessary immediate action against KPLF/KPLA or KNO/KNA and TIK or its leaders to prevent any untoward incidents or communal clash and to ensure the safety and security of leaders and members of TSA and Thadou community and also to ensure peace and harmony. This will also act as a deterrent to any such incidents in future and stop any other vested interests from doing the same. Otherwise, this will set a precedent for any anti-social elements to create a harmful situation with a view to achieve some vested interests with irreparable negative impact on the society.

We fully trust the government will act effectively and urgently on the complaint, but if it does not act and any untoward incident happens, the government along with the KPLF/KPLA or KNO/KNA and TIK-M shall be held responsible. And if the government fails to meet our demands before March 30, 2018, TSA will be forced to consider intense agitations in the larger interest of the society.