Kuki MLAs' memo to PM exposes AR biasness: COCOMI
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 04 2024:
Contents of the memorandum submitted by the 10 Kuki MLAs to the Prime Minister clearly exposed that the Assam Rifles have been working in favour of one side in the ongoing violence, claimed Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) .
According to a COCOMI statement, the unexpected violence erupted on May 3, 2023 crossed 15 month without any sign of resolution.
The state's administration cited security lapses in failing to control the violence in the beginning.
Two days after the eruption of violence, huge central forces including paramilitary forces were deployed in the state following the request of the state to the Centre.
Even though there was no significant step from the huge central forces deployed in the state to contain the violence in the past 15 months, people have no discontentment against central forces except the Assam Rifles.
However, officers of different AR units deployed in the state for a long time had a different perspective on the two warring communities as if having a hidden agenda with their partisan acts consequently realised by the people as the violence continues to linger, COCOMI said.
The statement issued by media coordinator Yumkhaibam Surjitkumar Khuman further said that COCOMI and the people have no serious issue over deployment of central forces such as like CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, Jat Regiment, Gorkha Regiment and Army.
However, the committee and people of Manipur have many evidences of partisan acts of the Assam Rifles in the ongoing violence, especially as the AR remained as muted spectators when houses were torched in front of their eyes and obstructed state forces from discharging duties.
As such, people would never be impressed that AR is helping state forces and acting without any bias in the ongoing violence, the COCOMI said.
On the other hand, multiple evidences of the Assam Rifles supporting narco-terrorists, one of the main causes for the ongoing violence, are intact though huge battalions of the paramilitary force are deployed in the North East for counter insurgency.
The paramilitary force could not stop poppy plantation right under their nose and unable to tackle cross-border drug trafficking despite shouldering the responsibility to guard border for a long time, the COCOMI alleged.
Contents of the memorandum submitted by 10 Kuki MLAs to the Prime Minister as well as statements issued by the Kuki Inpi, ITLF, CoTU and others urging the Centre not to withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur at the time when people are raising strong voice for pulling out the force clearly showcased that the Assam Rifles supports Chin-Kuki narco-terrorist.
When other central forces like CRPF, BSF, Jat Regiment, Gorkha Regiment, etc., left their area, all the 10 Kuki MLAs as well as Kuki Inpi, ITLF, CoTU and other Kuki civil bodies did not opposed their relocation/departure.
This shows AR's siding with one community in expanding and exacerbating the more than 15 months long violence, the COCOMI alleged.
Meanwhile, Challenger Youths of Khundrakpam Assembly Constituency said that it was the right decision to remove 9 and 22 Assam Rifles from Manipur.
Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club Sunday, Challenger Youths' president James Leishangthem said people have been raising voice against 9 Assam Rifles and 22 Assam Rifles for partisan attitude of the two AR units since the beginning of the ongoing violence.
At the time when people started agitation for removing AR from the state, it is a welcome step that an order for removal of two AR units from Manipur and deployment in Jammu & Kashmir had been issued, he said and thanked both the state and central government for such a step.
He also said that removal of two AR units will be a step towards resolving the more than 15 months violence in the state and expressed hope that displaced people could return to their respective homes when partisan forces like Assam Rifles are removed and replaced by other neutral central forces.
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