Child recruitment slur on KNF
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 11, 2013:
Kuki National Front (KNF-N) said the outfit is against force recruitment in Tujang area by its rival group KNF-P. The KNF-N accused the KNF-P that the latter outfit has been forcibly recruiting children into their fold.
It said most of the children are students.
The recruitment is going on in Tujang area (adjoining area of camp Ebenezer), the KNF-N said.
According to the KNF-N, there are three obvious reasons for this force recruitment of children.
"These activities of force recruitment took place due to the fact that most of the senior/permanent cadres had morally set aside the dictates of their higher authority as they lost faith in the leadership and did not pay any attention to their instruction since they feel themselves a mere puppet and no longer a true revolutionary cadres for the creation of Kukiland," the KNF-N said.
The outfit then said this 'heinous crime' and injustice done to the students aroused since KNF (P) has very low strength in comparison to that of the one presented to the Government proving that they have the highest number of cadres for more funds from the concern authority.
"So, this incident is taken up to clean their fake list of cadres presented to the Government through force recruitment before the verification of cadres/ inspection due to take place in near future," the KNF-N stated.
The outfit also said fearing that the government may conduct any inspection at any time, the new force recruiters will substitute in the absence of their 'special task force groups' who frequently leave the camp for taking up unlawful activities.
According to the KNF-N, the Kuki people at large feel themselves secure with the hope that they will be free from the crimes of undergrounds when Suspension of Operation (SoO) takes placed.
Contrary to the wishes of the people, now SoO becomes a curse for them as they (UGs) openly move and loiter around without any hindrance, it added.
"For KNF (P), Suspension of Operation (SoO) now becomes a license for criminal activities and nothing else could be gain out of it as is seen by public.
Therefore, the state Government especially the Home department should take this incident seriously to safeguard the future prospects of those students who are forcibly recruited, in the interest of the entire student community in general," the KNF-N urged.