Betel leaves syndicate accused of funding Kuki militants
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 08 2023:
The proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) has imposed a 'permanent' ban on betel leaves syndicate for allegedly funding Kuki militant groups and civil society organisations.
In a press release signed by its deputy secretary (information and public relations department) M Punsiba Meitei, the KCP claimed that syndicate which supplies betel leaves through road transport has been paying lakhs of rupees to Kuki militant groups like KRA and KNA as well as Kuki Inpi every month to fund their 'anti Kangleipak' activities.
Claiming that over Rs one crore is paid to these Kuki groups annually, the outfit alleged that the same syndicate has paid nearly Rs seven to eight lakh for allowing to transport a few truckloads of betel leaves in Kuki dominated areas amid the ethnic clash to the Kuki groups who imposed 'an inhuman blockade on the transport of essential commodities like food and medicine supplies.
It would not be wrong to state that these large amounts of money from the syndicate are used to acquire arms and ammunition so as to continue their nefarious designs against Kangleipak in general and the Meetei/Meitei in particular, KCP said.
Further claiming that this betel leaves syndicate is run by a few self-interested Meeteis/Meiteis and they may be considered as traitors for funding the groups which have declared war on Kangleipak, the KCP said that the Politburo Standing Committee of KCP has unanimously decided to impose a permanent ban on the transport of betel leaves in the territory of Kangleipak with immediate effect.
KCP also imposed a ban on the betel leaves syndicate .
The outfit said that violation of the ban will be dealt with seriously.