KKL junks ST demand -violence link
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 02 2023:
Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) has refuted the allegations that the Sched-uled Tribe (ST) status de-mand by the Meitei/Meetei community had led to the May 3 clashes.
Addressing a press meet at KKL's office in Paona Keithel here on Friday, Lup secretary Luwangc-ha Ngamkheingakpa said that the prevailing violence is due to Kuki militants breaking the ground rules of SoO.
The Indian Army Chief's statements deny-ing any insurgency problem but equating the violence to ethnic cleansing is because of lack of information, he added.
He then questioned the veracity of the union home minister's assurance of taking action against So0 violators considering the unabated attacks on the ci-vilians and burning of their homes by the militants who are armed with sophisticat-ed weapons.
The secretary further questioned whether those armed people dressed in camouflage and killed during gunfight with secu-rity forces will be awarded the compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
He continued: "Will it not be more effective and strin-gent action taken to remove the Kuki militants residing at designated camps and being provided a monthly pay of Rs 5000? It would be wrong to term the May 3 clashes as ethnic cleansing when the matter is a for-eigner issue, with militants from outside involved in the violence.
The exact reason being the influx of Myan-mar-based militants (KNO-KNA), who were driven out from the country by the Myanmar government in 1992-93 for demanding an independent state, and were welcomed warmly into Ma-nipur by Kuki politicians on self-vested interests.
These militants then went on to sign the So0 with the cen-tral and state governments and are now clearly causing the violence in the state" .