CoTU declaration outright affront to central government
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: March 05, 2025 -

THERE is no reason why the declaration by Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) on Monday not to entertain free movement in Kuki-Zo areas should not be construed as challenging decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide safe passage to all along the national highways.

On March 1, Union home minister Amit Shah had chaired a meeting to review the overall security scenario in Manipur, close on the heels of state Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's appeal to surrender all illegal arms and ammunition in possession of unauthorised persons evoked positive response.

The first week of the amnesty period led to substantial numbers of firearms handed over to the police and central forces.

The extension of deadline for another week to facilitate surrender of the remaining firearms, also continues to generate positive response as is evident from arms, ammunition and explosive materials received for consecutive days by security forces at different locations in both the valley districts and hill areas inhabited by the Kuki community.

Amid semblance of the state limping back to peace and normalcy, Amit Shah issued firm instructions to security authorities to sanitise the highways of disruptive elements and obstacles so as to enable safe travel by all.

The New Delhi meeting also figured issues ranging from drug smuggling to border fencing, and subsequent decisions to dismantle the drug network and expedite work for sealing of the porous Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur sector.

However, priority of the high-level gathering was on ensuring resumption of normal vehicular movement along the two highways that connect the state to other parts of the country.

Amid such notable decisions of the Home ministry after nearly two years of the Kuki-Meetei conflict, the CoTU's declaration to enforce a 'No free movement in Kuki-Zo areas' policy until a solution is arrived at testifies that it is averse to the idea of restoring peace in the state, unmindful of the fact that ordinary citizens belonging to the Kuki community are also hit hard by the unrest situation.

By cautioning that no individual shall place self-interest above the collective struggle, and any betrayal in favour of the government shall be considered an act of treachery against the Kuki-Zo people, it could be construed that CoTU is well aware about growing dissatisfaction among the Kuki commoners over prolonging the unrest situation, their yearning to live life as normal mortals and not serve as pawns in the pursuit of imaginary goals.

For the record, after the violence broke out on May 3, 2023, Kuki civil organisations, including CoTU, ably assisted by advocates of Kuki-Zoland movement across the globe, have been orchestrating narrative manipulation campaigns at local, national and global level to tarnish the image of the government of Manipur, and the Meetei community.

Thanks to shutdown of the internet services enforced in the first few months of the violence, Kuki-Zo expats had fair success in implementing a well-planned narrative manipulation campaign which not only tilted the narrative in their favour but also rendered the Meetei community, state government and even central government helpless, forcing Meetei CSOs and the then N Biren government to adopt damage control measures.

Thus, the latest CoTU declaration could be safely assumed as continuation of the same smear campaign, meriting tactful tackling by the central government as it has taken direct control of the state machinery.