Meiteis in Bangalore held mass protest
- July 28, 2024 : Karnataka Meitei Association -

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Meiteis in Bangalore held mass protest

Today, the Meiteis in Bangalore held a mass protest organized by KMA, urging both the state and central governments to take decisive action to end the 15-month-long violence in Manipur and restore much-needed normalcy. The people of Manipur have endured perceived indiff erence for over a year, and it is time for a more concrete and targeted approach to resolve the situation.

The ethnic unrest that began on the unfortunate day of May 3, 2023 continues to engulf the entire state. Many lives have been lost, over 5,000 houses have been burned down, and over 60,000 people are languishing in relief camps with no hope for the future .

Meanwhile, the burning of Meitei houses and properties continues by Kuki militant groups in the adjoining areas between the two communities. We wish to remind the world that the people of Manipur hold no ill will toward the old Kukis who have lived harmoniously with various communities in Manipur for many years. However, the Kuki refugees who have infiltrated Manipur over the past few decades have signifi cantly disrupted peaceful coexistence.

The root cause of the Manipur violence is illegal immigration and the nefarious activities of these individuals, including poppy plantations for illicit drug traffi cking, and narco-terrorism. With this point, we demand that the Government of India cease taking sides with Kuki militants.

Why does the suspension of operations with these militants, who have not adhered to ground rules, still exist today? To end this vicious cycle of violence, we urge the Government of India to withdraw any form of support or favoritism toward Kuki militants and to take stringent actions against those who instigate violence and unrest in the state.

Additionally, we demand immediate and proactive intervention from both state and central governments to fulfill our legitimate demands:

1. Reinstate Displaced Meiteis: Facilitate the safe return of displaced Meiteis to their original homes.

2. Withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur: We demand the immediate withdrawal of Assam Rifles due to their misconduct and bias towards Kuki militants since May 3. Replace them with other central security forces such as BSF and CRPF.

3. Dismantle Imaginary Buffer Zones: Remove artificial divisions within Manipur that create unnecessary separation.

4. Implement NRC and Proper Border Fencing: Ensure proper deployment of security forces, excluding Assam Rifles, for border protection.

5. Grant ST Status for Meiteis: Restore the ST status for Meiteis to provide constitutional protection for our land against foreign encroachment.

We, therefore, rise up on this occasion, to demand that normalcy and peaceful coexistence be restored once again in Manipur.

Meiteis in Bangalore held mass protest

Subhas Takhellambam
President, KMA

James Haorongbam
Vice-President, KMA

Amarjit Kongkham
Gen. Secretary, KMA

Karnataka Meitei Association
Motto:- Meitei Unity, Empowering Youth, Building the Future