Kuki-Zo women protest withdrawal of AR
Source: Chronicle News Service

Kangpokpi, September 11 2024: Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women in Kangpokpi town staged protest on Wednesday at the gate of 22 Assam Rifles post, blocking movement of the paramilitary forces withdrawn from the area.

The protest follows a public meeting on September 9 at Brig M Thomas Ground, where the Kuki-Zo community unanimously decided to seal all AR camps in Kangpokpi district if the centre did not reconsider its decision to replace the AR with CRPF.

The women gathered at the Bais Bahadur 22 Assam Rifles Post upon learning that the paramilitary forces would be moving out on Wednesday.

Robi Khongsai, one of the protestors, stated that the AR has been the only neutral force in their efforts to protect lives during ongoing ethnic conflicts.

She highlighted the AR's unique capability to handle insurgents, unlike other central security forces, and warned that violence could escalate if the forces were withdrawn.

Expressing deep concern over the planned removal of the 9th and 22nd Battalions of AR from conflict zones in Kangpokpi, Khongsai detailed the community's insecurities and potential consequences of this decision on the region's ethnic conflicts.

Rejecting the proposed relocation of the AR, she emphasised that any replacement by other security forces would be unacceptable to the community, regardless of intentions.

Khongsai urged the Prime Minister to instruct the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to reconsider the withdrawal, stressing that the continued presence of the AR is crucial for maintaining security and preventing further violence in the conflict-affected region.

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