KWOHR derides KAMA'S demand for capital punishment
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, May 31 2022:
Perturbed by the cacophony surrounding the arrest of human rights activist Dr Mark Thangmang Haokip, Kuki Women's Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) appealed all concerned to maintain calm and allow the law of the land to take its own course and contribute to foster brotherhood and harmony.
In a release, KWOHR stated that some fringe elements, as if trying to find legitimacy through their anti-Kuki stand, have resorted to unrestraint bashing of Kukis and loose branding of Kukis as foreigners, refugees, etc., not only on social media platforms but also in mainstream Manipur's media.
KWOHR is deeply shocked by the utterance of Kabui Mothers Association (KAMA) who went a step further and demanded capital punishment for Mark Haokip, it stated and added that as far as they know, Mark Haokip had already tendered an apology, as demanded by various CSOs, for his remark against Rani Gaidinliu last year.
KWOHR continued that as if this was not enough, KAMA jumped the guns to demand capital punishment' for Mark Haokip, while adding that KAMA is perhaps lost on what capital punishment actually means.
KWOHR also said that there has been contest over many historical events and persona around the world, but such contestations are settled with informed debates and narratives, allowing space for academic and reasoned discourse instead of going to the extremity such as capital punishment.
The demand of KAMA smacks of racial prejudice and it reflects their immaturity, it alleged.
The organisation further emphasised that the perpetrators of orchestrated genocide against innocent Kukis, the mass rape of Kuki women in present day Pherzawl district in the past decade, and human rights violation/abuse on Kukis including planting of landmines by various armed secessionist groups deserve capital punishment, if at all it should be delivered.
As a responsible mothers' organisation, KAMA should have thought twice before spewing such venomous statements, while it is also disturbing to note that sundry Meitei individuals and organisations have resorted to name callings and demonising of the Kuki community with impunity which have now flooded many formats of media, it claimed.
It further conveyed that the 'foreigner tag' on Kukis is the construct of NSCN-IM and now passionately re-enforced by the Manipur valley people.
KWOHR noted that cases of illegalising and alienation of Kukis such as branding Mark Haokip as Myanmarese' and generalisation of Kuki-Zomi-Mizos as migrants have been rising under the present dispensation and it is very unfortunate to observe that an unprecedented level of ethnic polarisation is also being witnessed.
KWOHR is observing every move of the present dominant political party and we have already enough evidences that the restlessness now has been abetted by the dominant political party, it asserted.
The organisation also said that apart from the increasing hate speeches against Kukis, some even go to the extent of demanding 'deportation' of Mark Haokip despite their miserable attempts to prove his Myanmar origin and these derisive and loose talks do not augur well for the future of Manipur which is a home to many ethnic groups.
It is very unfortunate that majority community of Manipur deliberately spared no efforts to alienate one particular community without even thinking of the consequences instead of trying to strengthen the social fabric that weaves the ties of the multi-ethnic people that adorn Manipur, it derided.
KWOHR stated that but it does not believe in resorting to such hate mongering and name callings which are detrimental to society as a whole.
Instead, it appealed to all concerned to maintain calm and allow the law of the land to take its own course and contribute our might to fostei brotherhood and harmony.