'Forced' shifting of Kuki families MHRC takes up suo moto case
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 06 2023: Following the evacuation of 10 Kuki families from New Lambu-lane, Imphal a few days ago, the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has taken up a suo-moto case directing the Government and the police to submit a status report regarding allegations that claim the families were shifted "forcibly" .

The case was taken up on the basis of a news item published by the Times of India, a National newspaper, with the caption "State authority forcibly shifted the lone Kuki family from the Imphal valley," said the MHRC.

In the said news, it is mentioned that "The Mani-pur Government evacuated in a swift post-midnight operation on Saturday the last remaining 10 Kuki families living in the heart of Imphal, who had displayed unwavering courage in the face of relentless threats and looming communal violence to defiantly cling to their homes in the New Lambulane locality the past four months.

"Reverend Prim Vaiphei, a 78 year old clergymen and the oldest among the 24 evacuees, said he won't forget the knocks at the door by security personnel, as he and his family members were jolted out of sleep, not given any time to pack their belongings, and herded into bulletproof Casper military vehicles" .

The Commission, issuing notice to the Chief Secretary, Commissioner (Home), DGP and SP Imphal East, directed the authorities to submit a status report "regarding the allegations made against State in the news item" on or before October 3 .

Meanwhile, the Commissioner (Home) shall direct the DGP to protect the residences of Kuki families, who have been allegedly forcibly shifted from the Imphal valley, till they resettle at Imphal either by their own or by the Government of Manipur, said the MHRC.

The Commission fixed October 3 for the next hearing.

It may be noted here that the Kuki families at New Lambulane (about 24 people) were evacuated amid the heightened tension and gunbattles between armed Kukis and security forces in the peripheries of the valley region that surfaced afresh after days of calm.

Even though there was unrest in the periphery of the valley region, New Lambulane in Imphal was relatively calm before the Kuki families were evacuated.

Moreover, the locality was tightly guarded by the security forces round the clock and off-limits to outsiders to ensure peace.

Notably, the homes of the Kuki families in New Lambulane are still intact and they have not been burnt.

On the other hand, it has been reported that there are no Meitei houses standing in Churachandpur and Moreh.

Demanding a separate administration for themselves carved out of Manipur, armed Kukis and their SoO militants, in a bid to draw a boundary and divide communities, have burnt hundreds and hundreds of houses and shops belonging to the Meitei community and levelled them to the ground at Churachandpur and Moreh, said a displaced Meitei man who is staying at a relief camp at Imphal.

While the thousands of displaced Meiteis from Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Moreh have urged the Government to bring peace and allow them to return to their original settlements, the Kuki organisations, on the other hand, have reiterated and reinforced their idea of separation of the two communities, he said.

Significantly, following the evacuation of the 24 people, Kuki Inpi, an apex body of the Kukis, had issued a declaration that there is "now total separation of the Meiteis and the Kukis" .

The Kuki Inpi had urged the Central Government to "constitutionally" recognise the "separation" .

"One group of people want to divide the people, disintegrate Manipur and form a separate administration by destroying the aged cultural ties and social fabric, and the other group--the Meiteis want all communities to coexist together, protect Manipur's integrity, history and culture.

No amount of propaganda can cover up this fact.

Future will be tough for those who are on the wrong side of history," he said.

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