Office of ITLF vandalised amid growing tension at CCpur
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 18 2024:
From ransacking the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) office to firing at its spokesperson residence, Churachandpur was rocked by a number of cases of violence in the last 24 hours.
Owing to the situation, Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) has reportedly imposed a public curfew at Churachandpur town from 5 pm today.
ITLF, in a statement, condemned the 'vandalisation and destruction of its office by a group of cowardly armed individuals' .
The Forum claimed that the armed group also attempted to murder its spokesperson Ginza Vualzong at his residence at D Phailien on the same night.
"ITLF vehemently denounce this action," it added.
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Saying that 'this act of uncivilised and perhap fatal violence towards members of one's own community in the centre of our town is unacceptable,' ITLF asserted that they will not tolerate the heinous act and 'won't stop until the offenders come out and settle with them as soon as possible' .
According to reliable sources, the office of ITLF near Churachandpur public ground was vandalised by a group of unknown armed miscreants in the intervening night of March 17 and March 18 .
The unknown miscreants reportedly destroyed furniture items, computers sets and documents kept inside the ITLF office.
The sources further stated that the residence of ITLF spokesperson Ginza Vualzong at D Phailien was fired upon by miscreants before ransacking the ITLF office.
Two Kuki volunteers were also reportedly assaulted last night at around 10 and they were evacuated to Churachandpur district hospital while a clash reportedly broke out between two groups of youth near Hoikhokim oil depot which is located at the adjacent place of Pearsonmun and Bungmual villages.
Heavy security measures have been taken up in vulnerable locations of Churachandpur.
NorthNow reports that a significant number of frontline workers retreated from the buffer zones and unknown miscreants ransacked the office of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur district headquarters in the past 48 hours, official sources said here on Monday.
On Sunday night, the office of the ITLF in Churachanpdur was ransacked by unknown miscreants.
Properties including documents from the office, computers, and furniture were destroyed.
Reports said that the ITLF office was targeted following tension between the tribal communities belonging to the Paites and Zo.
Dissatisfied with the actions of CSO leaders who are trying their best to create Kukiland to be carved out from the State of Manipur, the Kuki-Zo village volunteers at the frontlines near buffer zones at Chandel, Bishnupur, and Churachandpur went back to their homes instead of performing duties at bunkers.
Some Kuki-Zo village volunteers in buffer zones of Churachandpur district are very much displeased with the actions of CSO leaders who are shouldering responsibility in the ethnic clash with the Meities since May 3, 2023 .
While further details are still not available with The Sangai Express this was not the first time that violence has gripped Churachandpur town ever since Manipur descended into an orgy of ethnic violence from the evening of May 3 lasty year.
At the height of the clash, the residence of the spokesperson of KNO, Seilen Haokip was attacked and vandalised by unidentified persons in the night of July 3 last year.
On July 3, 2023 at about 10.30 pm the house of Seilen Haokip located at Songpi in Churachandpur was set ablaze after the highway blockade imposed at Kangpokpi was lifted.
In a talk with The Indian Express the KNO spokesperson had stated that while the attack appeared to be an immediate fallout of the decision to call off the blockade, there could be other reasons.
Along with the house which was gutted, a car was also torched during the attack.
Notably Churachandpur is a hotbed of ethnic tension, especially between the Kukis and the Paites and the clash between the two communities back in 1997-1998 left about 352 people on either side killed while about 13,000 people were displaced.
Imphal became the refuge back then with many refugees taking shelter here.
As recently as December 18 last year at least 30 persons sustained injuries in a clash between Zomi and Kuki communities at Thingkangphai village and Sielmat Bridge of Churachandpur.
Internet service was suspended in the entire district for five days.
The clash broke out between two groups of people belonging to Kuki and Zomi communities at around 9.30 pm on December 19 when a group of people belonging to the Zomi community came to Thingkangphai village and tried to inscribe 'Zoland' on one of the memorial stones and attempted to hoist their Zomi flag, sources informed.
Notably the attack at the office of the ITLF comes on the day some former office bearers of the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur had asserted that ITLF and CoTU do not carry the mandate of the tribal people of Manipur.