'Renaming' of Meitei localities protested
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2023: Peeved over the changing of Meitei localities at Moreh to Kuki names in Government issued PM-JAY health cards, displaced Meitei people from the border town staged a protest demonstration at Singjamei area today and burnt the health cards.

During the protest demonstration held under the aegis of Committee on Protection of Meitei Victims, Moreh, several health cards issued to the residents of the border town were burnt as they claimed that the name of several Meitei localities were found altered.

Speaking to the media, chairman of the committee L Inaocha accused the Government of remaining silent when the people of the other community have waged all-out war to wipe out the his- tory of Meiteis from Moreh.

'Renaming' of Meitei localities protested

He also asked why the Government is not taking up any action to find out how the name of several Meitei localities at Moreh were changed, and book the erring officials.

It may be mentioned that about 3,460 people from Moreh were displaced following the aggression of Kukis and they are taking refuge at different relief camps set up at Kakching, Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur districts.

Of these 3,460 displaced folks, the Government has given PM-JAY health cards to 130 individuals in the first phase.

A distressing situation however unfolded shortly after as various Meetei localities in the border town of Moreh were found changed to Kuki names in the health cards.

Reportedly, Turel Wangma Leikai was found written as Chikim Village, Khunou Leikai as T Yangnom, Bazar Leikai as D Monaphai and Heinoumakhong Leikai as Chikim in the PM-JAY cards.

Y Inaocha claimed that the changing of Meitei localities to Kuki names shouldn't be taken lightly as it was done to wipe out the history of Meiteis from Moreh.

Claiming that the Kukis have also started moving to unaffected and abandoned Meitei houses at the border town, he urged the Government to do the needful at the earliest.

Expressing serious concern over this unauthorised renaming of Meetei localities in official Government documents, he called upon the relevant Government authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and take up necessary actions.

He further asked the Government to deploy adequate security forces at Moreh and expedite the resettlement and rehabilitation works of the displaced folks from Moreh so that they could return homes and restart their lives with whatever little they have.

The Meiteis dislocated from Moreh would launch a series of agitation if the Government fails to act against the alleged move of Kukis to wipe out Meiteis from Moreh, he cautioned.

Inaocha also claimed that giving more autonomy to ADCs would be more or less like approving the first step of separate administration.

It is further reported that almost all the Meiteis from Moreh are now taking refuge at different relief camps set up at different localities of the valley districts following the aggression by Kukis on multiple occasions other than about 30 Meiteis who are still at the key location point of 5 Assam Rifles at the border town.

Notably, hundreds of Meiteis fled persecution from Moreh and took shelter in Myanmar since May 3 .

On August 18, Assam Rifles rescued 223 Meiteis from Myanmar and brought them back to Moreh.

Among these 223 displaced people, 166 of them were sent to different relief camps of the valley districts yesterday.

Meanwhile, credible sources said that miscreants tried to occupy the abandoned and unhurt houses belonging to Meiteis but the same was thwarted by the State police.

The sources continued that Kukis have torched around 1,200 houses and 400 shops and hotels belonging to Meiteis on multiple occasions.