RPF calls for united stand against divisive forces
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 27 2024: The proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has called for a united fight against the Indian security forces in Manipur, while asserting that the ethnic conflict in Manipur since May 3 last year is outcome of the government of India's long-standing agenda.

This agenda aims to subdue the liberation movements in the Western South East Asia (WeSEA), meddle in Myanmar's internal affairs for India's benefit, and counter Orientalism with Western influence by using Manipur as a battleground for regional and international political games.

Manipur, described as an Oriental nation state with a rich cultural heritage, has not easily succumbed to Indian persuasion, making it a focal point in this conflict, the outfit said in a statement signed by its deputy secretary publicity Roben Khuman.

Roben argued that the current ethnic crisis in Manipur is not just a spontaneous eruption of violence but a carefully orchestrated plan by Government of India (GoI).

According to Roben, GoI's "damn care" attitude and its attempt to malign and blame others, particularly the RPF and its armed wing, the People's Liberation Army (PLA), are part of a sinister design to cover up its own culpabilities.

The statement recounted an incident of May 7, 2023, when Kuki chiefs informed RPF about a warning from Assam Rifles that the PLA was planning an attack on the village.

The chiefs, having a long-standing acquaintance with the PLA, did not suspect any harm from but sought clarification.

RPF assured the villagers that they had no such intent and urged them not to believe the Assam Rifles' propaganda.

A text message from RPF clarified that the GoI, particularly the Field Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Indian security forces, was creating communal tension to sabotage the unity among Manipur's communities.

The message stated: "India's agenda is to destroy the unity of Manipur.

Once the unity is destroyed, the native people of Manipur cannot rule their own native land and India will rule Manipur totally!".

RPF urged the Kuki chiefs not to believe the false propaganda of the Indian Army and their henchmen.

Emphasising commitment to all communities of Manipur, the statement said RPF and PLA stand for unity.

While giving clarion call to expose the henchmen within the community and denounce their crimes together, it Roben said: "Let us defend and protect the unity of Manipur.

Expose the henchmen in our community and denounce their heinous crime together".

A similar spirit has been upheld by a section of Kuki armed groups not engaged in any Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the GoI.

These Kuki armed group had also stated, "We know that the crisis is a handiwork of the Government of India and have been telling people to refrain from indulging in it".

Additionally, on May 10, last year, 90 Meetei labourers were safely handed over to Sugnu MLA K Ranjit under the aegis and initiative of the Peace Committee's president.

MLA Ranjit had even reportedly extended monetary support to the Kuki chiefs.

This spectre of peace and coexistence in Sugnu area greatly displeased Indian agencies, leading them to infuse poison through their henchmen to disturb the tranquil relationship.

The objection to the machinations of the Indian security agencies, particularly the Assam Rifles, became crystal clear when the state police came into direct confrontation with the central forces, Roben said.

During this juncture, GoI began to drag RPF into the ethnic conflict to defame and blame.

Evidence of such machinations became clear with a recent National Intelligence Agency's (NIA) Special Court charge sheet.

This document initially identified Moirangthem Anand Singh as a leader of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) Noyon Group, but he has now been rechristened as a member of PLA, with efforts made to implicate the PLA in the ethnic conflict as an interested party, Roben said while quoting several media reports saying Moirangthem Anand Singh as a member of KCP.

It further went on to say that Moirangthem Anand Singh was a member of RPF in 2001, but upon his arrest in 2004 by the 17 Assam Rifles, he failed to rejoin the party, leading to his dismissal, as indicated by Dismissal Order No.A4-6/01/2007, dated 2007-02-01.Since then, he has remained sacked from the party, it added.

Roben enquired why has there been repeated efforts to blame the RPF, whose sole commitment is to securing reconciliation in the present crisis, instead of pointing fingers at the parties concerned and individuals involved in the ongoing ethnic strife - such as Arambai Tenggol (AT), Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), Meitei Leepun, Schedule Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM), Kuki MLAs, chief minister N Biren Singh, MP Sanajaoba, home minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials of the Indian Army, Indian intelligence agencies, and their henchmen.

Only the right answer to this question can reveal the sinister design of the Government of India before the eyes of the common people, Roben said.

In the 1971 Bangladesh war of independence (then East Pakistan), 100,000 Mukti Bahini were given military training to face Pakistan, while India launched Operation: JACKPOT.

The Indian Army, disguised as Mukti Bahini by wearing lungis (a traditional Bengali attire for men), fought against the Pakistan Army.

In a similar role, at the end of April 2024, the 21 Para Regiment arrived at the 8 Assam Rifles camp located on the India-Myanmar border and launched a clandestine military operation against the revolutionaries of WeSEA.

Kukis from Bangladesh, Manipur, and India took part in this secret operation, pretending to be members of Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) of Myanmar.

Mirroring the Indian Army's role in Operation: JACKPOT of 1971, soldiers from the 21 Para Regiment and Assam Rifles, including several serving and retired personnel of the Indian Army, participated in this clandestine operation disguised as KNA-B members, Roben claimed.

Indian Army not only fought against We SEA's revolutionaries but also clandestinely attacked Myanmar police and army.

The intruders retreated when the Myanmar forces launched a counteroffensive with helicopter gunships, suffering heavy casualties.

The injured were treated at the Military Hospital of IGAR (South) in Leimakhong, and Phaikhot, the RPF statement claimed.

Prior to the counteroffensive by the Myanmar helicopter, the WeSEA revolutionaries experienced a skilful tactical offensive despite it being "Unconventional Warfare".

It became evident that the aggressors involved elite forces, which our joint fighters cautiously engaged.

However, encounters after the helicopter counteroffensive were vastly different, akin to "the proverbial difference between the Sun and Moon".

It is now well-known that the Elite Special Force 21 Para Regiment participated in this offensive.

Statements issued by NSCN-IM, eyewitness reports published in media, and indirect expressions from Kuki Inpi Manipur's propaganda confirm that GoI has not only launched clandestine offensives against WeSEA's revolutionaries but also "Unconventional Warfare" against Myanmar, amounting to a proxy war.

Amidst the shoot-out, with the machinations of Indian security establishments, we have heard statements such as, "India's attack on PLA is to make them come to the negotiating table," "If peace has to be brokered in the border areas, make PLA come to peace talks," and "We (Indian army) shall continue this onslaught until they (PLA) do so".

The antics of the Assam Rifles are so nefarious that they have asked and promised PDF and KNA-B to help coerce "Manipur's armed groups to surrender in exchange for the weapons these groups would bring along," the statement claimed.

"Thus, RPF appeals to all the co-existing communities not be swayed away by the sectarian propaganda of India.

We have been living together as a fraternal members of Manipur for such a long period.

Let us not be easily swayed away by the antics of the 'Mayangs' who come from more than one-thousand miles away.

Only the selfish and non-principled would become a henchman of India.

We are the gracious native people of Manipur who has been living together peacefully with a distinctive cultural ethos and heritages.

RPF humbly reminds that we should not be the Henchmen of India; we should live together and rule together," RPF said.

In conclusion, Roben said, "the weapons we possess today are not meant for fratricidal acts.

Instead, turn your weapons toward the adversaries and let us free Manipur from colonialism and show our unity to the world" .

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