Peace will prevail only when State withdraws from SoO with Kuki militants : RK Anand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 18 2023: Manipur will return to peace and normalcy when the State Government withdraws from Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with the Kuki Militants, said human rights activists and former Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC MLA RK Anand.

Addressing media persons in a press conference today at his Kwakeithel residence RK Ananda said that the restive situation will subside and the State will return to normalcy when the State Government withdraws from the SoO pact with the said militants.

He also said that the FIR should be filed against the 10 Chin-Kuki MLAs who created further turmoil by demanding a separate administration for them at the height of the communal crisis.

Recalling the dreadful communal clash between Naga and Kuki in 1992 largely due to land issue, RK Anand maintained that it was the majority Meitei community who played the role of peacekeeper and prevented further bloodshed between the communities.

Kuki brethrens should not forget the brotherly response and efforts of the Meitei community to restore peace and tranquility in the State, he said.

Peace will prevail only when State withdraws from SoO with Kuki militants : RK Anand

It has been witnessed that many from the Kuki community are peddling misinformation and making many false accusations in the National and international platforms to malign the image of the Meitei community to the world and this should be stopped at the earliest, he said.

The former MLA also expressed regret over the memorandum submitted by some Kuki MLAs to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah maintaining that tribal people are no longer safe in the valley.

The blatant effort to present Meiteis as anti-christians and the prevailing situation as the Meitei vs tribal is very unfortunate, he added.

The former MLA went on to refer to the Manipur riot of 1993 which broke out between Meitei and Pangal communities due to some rumour and how things have changed and peace have been restored.

Likewise, Meiteis and Kukis should forget the unfortunate violence and work towards restoring the bond of brotherhood and cordiality at the best level, he said.

Taking strong exceptions to the activities of illegal immigrants from Myanmar including large scale poppy cultivation, drug trafficking and militancy, RK Anand also maintained that Meiteis have never overlooked other fellow communities or tried to suppress them.

It is not yet known who is behind the demand for separate administration call and on whose command the armed attacks upon Meitei villages in the foothills are being carried out, he said while adding that such activities should be stopped at the earliest.

Sources are aplenty that Kuki militants under SoO have violated ground rules and been involved in the recent clashes along with illegal immigrants.

It was a bid to render Meiteis as refugees in their own land and such an unfortunate situation is an outcome of the SoO pact.

As such, it is high time the Government withdraws from the SoO pact, keep a strict vigil over their activities.

Peace will naturally return only when the State Government flushes them out of the State, he said.

It is very evident that illegal immigrants and powerful drug cartels are working closely with the SoO militants to destabilize and disintegrate the State and thus both the State Government and the Central Government need to be very sincere on this matter.

The State Government should also act decisively and boldly against the activities of these militants under SoO pact, he said while urging the State Government to also make public the details of pact.

The Government should be well aware of the fact that the majority Meitei community have been and are standing firmly for the integrity of the State and the Chief Minister should lead all the MLAs who stood for Manipur's territorial integrity to Delhi to make the stance very clear to the Central Government, he said.

Expressing the need for a strong counter against the communal slur on Meiteis raised by the 10 Chin-Kuki MLAs at the Centre, RK Anand said that appropriate legal actions should be taken up against the MLAs and disqualification process should be initiated at the earliest.

He also expressed regret over laxity on the part of the authorities concerned on May 3.Had security personnel acted swiftly and curtailed the movement of the protesters within the boundary of Churachandpur and prevented the arson and vandalism of the Meitei settlements in the neighbouring villages, the ugly incident might have not occurred, he said.

The fabricated claims of the 10 MLAs (Chin-Kuki) cannot break the integrity of the State and one should not forget that there are lakhs of selfless person who are ready to sacrifice even their lives for the sake of the integrity of the Manipur and it has been proven on multiple occasions, he noted.

Manipur was an independent Nation for its merger to India and the matter of Kuki Nation is non existent even in the history, he said while adding that things like "Kuki Homeland" and "Greater Mizoram" are all illusory.

On the stationing of Kuki militants and their threats that no Meitei should ever stay in some villages along the foothills, RK Anand said that the State Government should intervene into the matter.

If not it will be an open invitation to a civil war, he said.

Taking a jibe over numerous visits of leaders of the ruling party in the State in the face of election last year, he maintained that it is very unfortunate that no central leadership has taken interest towards Manipur when it is literally burning.

Maintaining that things could be expeditiously settled if the Union Home Minister visits Manipur and lends a helping hand in bringing the warring parties on the same table, he also expressed strong suspicion of a hidden agenda behind the non visit of any Union Minister till date.