KCP points to vested interest groups
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 20 2023: The proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) has categorically stated that the violent conflict witnessed in Manipur between the Meiteis and Kukis is a direct outcome of a long standing evil desire of certain vested interests of the political class of the Kuki community to excessively assert themselves in the hills.

A statement issued by the outfit's Deputy Secretary M Punsiba Meitei informed that the outfit recently constituted a Crisis Monitoring Cell under the supervision of Home Secretary Thouba Mangang and the cell has submitted its observations on the ethnic clash.

The loss of once strong foothold of the liberation-oriented armed organisations such as UNLF/MPA, RPF/ PLA and KYKL/MYL in the western and southern hills of Kangleipak has given divisive communal forces in the hill-based political circle a big opportunity to play out their divisive political cards without any fear of consequences.

If the effective presence of the liberation-oriented armed groups had continued in the western and southern hills of Kangleipak, no such communal flare-up would have ever happened in Kangleipak, the outfit's Crisis Monitoring Cell said.

Though the communal clashes had the impression of being an all-out Meitei-Kuki conflict, the violence cannot be attributed to both the communities in their entirety.

Because, many sections and groups of both the communities continue to honestly communicate with one another throughout these, challenging times, it said. Not all the Kukis support the impossible idea of a separate administration for the so-called Zo people.

The KCP is also, in touch with a major Kuki group, whose Chairman has, agreed in principle to issue a statement against the treacherous' demand for carving any separate entity from the territory of Kangleipak, it conveyed.

Paid propaganda and systematic-spread of rumours, particularly through social media, have also aggravated the situation.

But not all is lost between the two communities, who have to understand and accommodate each other's reasonable concerns.

Despite violent clashes breaking out in other parts, true heart-warming reports and videos of Meeteis/Meiteis helping trapped Kukis out and vice versa still continue to come in from many sides, it observed.

The Crisis Monitoring Cell remarked that the so-called SoO agreements are nothing but an eyewash to deploy the concerned groups against the liberation-oriented groups of Kangleipak for a pittance.

However, the double-edged nature of these groups has come to the fore when they also attacked Indian military forces.

like the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police commandos.

Now .

they have started acting like Frankenstein monsters, it said.

Despite the vehement calls by sections of the Meetei/Meitei community for the liberation-oriented armed groups to get involved in the clashes, the leadership of the entire liberation oriented armed movement of Kangleipak have shown commendable maturity and foresight by exercising restraint and remaining neutral, because of which the Meetei/Meitei community as a whole has been saved from falling into the trap systematically laid in advance by the divisive communal forces.

"We as a movement fighting for restoration of the robbed sovereignty of Kangleipak represent all the indigenous communities of Kangleipak.

However, remaining mute spectators was definitely not an option", it said.

Some armed units have been deployed by some of the liberation-oriented groups in certain sensitive areas with the aim of creating a buffer zone between the two warring communities as well as to chase away marauding Kuki miscreants, it claimed.

Observing that some anti-Kangleipak elements have started circulating a thoroughly distorted narrative on the history of Kangleipak, the Crisis Monitoring Cell asserted that it is imperative for the people of Kangleipak to unitedly counter this baseless narrative in a resolute manner via all possible channels.

The outfit then appealed to all indigenous communities of Kangleipak to seek to forgive and forget each other's acts, no matter how destructive and hurtful they might have been, understand each other's sensitivities and also remain vigilant against the divisive communal forces, who seek to protect and promote their personal political and financial interests even at the cost of the lives of innocent people, and also the assault rifle-wielding, trigger-happy, unethical and senseless creatures with a mindset typical of the Stone Age.

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