ITLF urges Shah to halt transfer of cops
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal/CCpur, February 23 2024:
Hours after the government of Manipur on Friday ordered transfer of 128 inspectors of police across the state, the Churachandpur-based Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) wrote to the union home minister Amit Shah seeking the latter's intervention to halt posting of Kuki-Zo officers in the valley districts.
Amid the tense situation in the state, DGP Rajiv Singh on Friday, issued an order for transfer and posting of inspectors of Manipur police with immediate effect.
As part of the administrative overhaul, total of 52 police inspectors were among the 128 inspectors posted with promotions, the order stated.
The police chief further informed that the Manipur Police Training Centre (MPTC) and superintendents of police/ commandants concerned shall take necessary action(s) accordingly and report compliance.
Meanwhile, Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) has sought intervention of Union home minister Amit Shah on transfer of hundreds of Kuki-Zo police personnel to valley districts.
In a representation submitted to Amit Shah on February 23, ITLF said that the valley areas of the state are now inhospitable place for the Kuki-Zo people ever since the eruption of violence which led to mass exchange of population on ethnic lines even to the extent of complete physical separation of communities.
The ITLF representation also stated that thousands of Kuki-Zo tribals barely survived when they were attacked by mobs in the state capital and adjoining valley areas as they fled to army camps or to the jungles.
Those serving in central and state security forces belonging to Kuki-Zomi community were not safe either with the result that all tribal police personnel were evacuated to tribal districts.
Citing an instance, ITLF pointed out that earlier three tribal security personnel who were trying to report for duty were waylaid by a mob in Moirang and beaten up mercilessly before being rescued by Central security forces and this served as a grim reminder of the danger faced by the Kuki-Zomi community.
This is the reason why the recent order by DGP Manipur to move than one hundred Kuki-Zo tribal police personnel to Meetei-majority areas is unacceptable, explained ITLF to the home minister, while contending the order was clearly a ploy to target Kuki-Zo police personnel as they will not be able to report for duty in valley areas.