Kuki bodies demand pull-out of police from Moreh
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 31 2023:
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) on Monday threatened to launch an agitation in all the tribal districts of Manipur if the state government fails to withdraw state police personnel from Moreh immediately as Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) strongly condemned the move to deploy additional police personnel in the border town.
The threat and condemnation come hours after over 1000 women in Churachandpur district staged demonstration demanding removal of police forces from the town bordering Myanmar.
Under aegis of ITLF, womenfolk in Churachandpur district staged protest against the attempt to deploy to more state force in Moreh.
The protest held at the Wall of Remembrance, Tubong from 11 am to 2 pm was in solidarity with women of Tengnoupal, who are blocking state forces at Tengnoupal.
"To maintain fairness and neutrality, we humbly request the government to withdraw (state) security personnel from Moreh, " ILTF said, adding that if the demand is not acceded, "We will be forced to start a public agitation in all tribal districts".
In a press statement, the ILTF leaders said it is alarmed over the Manipur government's attempt to station state security forces in Moreh town in Tengnoupal district, which is inhabited by Kuki-Zo tribals.
There have been allegations by Kukis that the state police which heavily draws on Meitei personnel is partisan.
The ITLF said it "fears that cadres of the militant groups are embedded with police and could wreak havoc if they enter Moreh.
It may be also mentioned that the majority of policemen in Tengnoupal district are from the majority community" .
ITLF said, "Tribal women in Moreh are blocking the national highway in an effort to stop state forces from entering the border town".
On July 28, thousands of Kuki-Zo women in Tengnoupal district had blocked the road to Moreh to stop police forces from entering the town.
A convoy of ten vehicles of security forces including the India Reserve Battalion, Manipur Rifles and commandos were heading towards Moreh town when the womenfolk obstructed them at Tengnoupal.
Similarly, a KWOHR release alleged that "the convoys carrying the state forces are embedded with Meitei radical groups - Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, which have been at the forefronts in all attacks against the Kukis" .
It also claimed that 15 Meitei individuals in the convoys failed to produce identity cards during verification by Tengnoupal AR thereby implying presence of members of the radicalised groups among the state's forces.
Maintaining that there are "more competent and people friendly central forces for conducting counter insurgency operations" in adequate numbers in Moreh, the organisation ruled out all justifications for stationing police commandos and other state forces in Moreh town if at all the reason for the state government in sending in state forces in Moreh is for counter insurgency operations only.
Alleging that the state forces have been creating fear-psychosis among the Kuki civilians, KWOHR said that the government's attempt to deploy additional state forces to Moreh is a diabolical ploy to annihilate the beleaguered Kuki populace.
The statement also expressed distress over the permission granted to COCOMI which had openly declared war against Kukis for holding "such an inciting protest rally in the heart of Imphal".
In the same vein, the release also decried the manner in which helicopter services between Imphal and Moreh (introduced post-Amit Shah's visit) have been maliciously used to transport police commandos and other state forces to Moreh and pointed out the need to stop the helicopter service once and for all.
KWHOR also appealed to the central authorities concerned to immediately halt the state government's attempt to deploy additional forces to Moreh.
Meanwhile, in solidarity with Kuki-Zo women of Tengnoupal district who are preventing state forces from entering Moreh since July 26, protest demonstration was staged in Kangpokpi district on Monday under the aegis of Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) Sadar Hills.
Considering that the attempt to deploy additional state forces at Moreh is 'life-threatening' for the Kuki-Zo tribals, the CoTU asked the Centre to remove the state forces including police commandos from Moreh within 6 pm of July 31 and warned of launching intense agitations across Kuki-Zo areas if the demand is not honoured within the stipulated time.
Hundreds of Kuki-Zo people mostly women across the Kangpokpi district took part in the protest and extended moral support to their fellow womenfolk in Tengnoupal district.
They held placards inscribed 'Withdraw commando who killed us', 'Remove commando from Moreh', 'We don't want communal force' 'To reign peace in Moreh town, remove Manipur police commando' etc.
Amidst the protest, CoTU also submitted a representation to Union home minister Amit Shah through DC Kangpokpi urging the Centre to withdraw all state forces from Moreh to maintain neutrality and help peace and normalcy to prevail in the border town.
(With inputs from PTI) .
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