Blow by blow account of start of clash from May 3 detailed
Kukis started the violence : WMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 20 2023: The World Meetei Council (WMC) has categorically asserted that it was the Kukis who started the current violence to achieve their nefarious political agenda.

Speaking to the media at the Press Club of India today, WMC chairman Heigrujam Nabashyam and WMC National spokesman Nabakishore Yumnam presented a detailed account of the violent crisis besieging the State.

The desire for more land and power by the immigrant Chin-Kuki community has led to the current violence.

The demand of separate administration by the Chin-community Kuki in Manipur is fuelled by a bigger plan to realize their dream of Kukiland, they said.

The proposed map of Kukiland consists of parts of Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.

Blow by blow account of start of clash from May 3 detailed

Their nature and social mobility depicts that they do not possess tribal traits and attributes.

Rather, they are cosmopolitan by nature, the WMC leaders remarked.

They asserted that the Scheduled Tribe status given by the Govt of India to the Kuki in Manipur is a blunder as they are neither indigenous nor aborigines of Manipur.

Kuki leaders, intellectuals collectively misinform the media that the outbreak of the violence is due to the burning down of a Kuki centenary gate at Leisang village by Meeteis on May 3 but there is no Meetei settlement in the area.

The burning of the war centenary gate happened at 2.15 pm whereas the Kuki mob violence started from 11.30 am by burning the Forest Beat Office, assaulting Meetei pedestrians on Churachandpur roads and setting fire to posters of the Chief Minister.

The acts of violence by the Kukis started almost 3 hours prior to the burning of the Kuki centenary gate.

It looks now that the Kukis themselves had set fire to it to direct the violence towards the Meetei community as part of a larger conspiracy.

Local news media reported about this conspiracy on June 19, they said.

Many of the 10 Kuki MLAs who submitted a memorandum to the Govt of India on May 12 for a separate administration are directly or indirectly related to the Kuki militant groups (under SoO) as per multiple news reports.

Saikul AC MLA Kimneo Haokip Hangshing's husband David Hangshing is the chairman of the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) .

Her party Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) was established by a militant organisation KNA/KNO under the chairmanship of PS Haokip who is of Myanmar origin.

Singnat AC MLA Chinlunthang Zou is a KPA candidate and member of the KNA.

Thanlon AC MLA Vungzagin Valte is a representative of and sponsored by the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) .

ZRA is a militant outfit under the chairmanship of Thanglianpau Guite, an ex-MP candidate from Myanmar and presently living in Churachandpur.

Saikot AC MLA Paulienlel Haokip is an advisor of the Kuki National Army (KNA).

He is a person of Myanmar origin and recently joined Manipur politics.

Kangpokpi AC MLA Nemcha Kipgen's husband ST Thangboi Kipgen is the president of the militant group Kuki National Front (KNF) .

Pointing out that five of the 10 Kuki MLAs who are connected to the Kuki militants are demanding a separate administration, the WMC asked whether these 10 MLAs played a major role in this conspiracy to instigate an orchestrated violence towards achieving their nefarious political goals.

There is more than enough evidence to prove that the Kukis initiated the violence to achieve their nefarious political agenda.

Meeteis have to defend themselves for their own survival.

Kukis should be held responsible for all the damages done during the violence as they had started the violence without any provocation from the Meetei, they said.

The Assam Rifles who could have played a pivotal role in controlling the conflict rather acted in a biased manner almost aiding the Kuki militants as reported in various news media.

This has made the credibility of Assam Rifles questionable.

If the Govt of India is honest, it must stop the violence by containing, controlling and disarming the Chin-Kuki militants because these militants' camps are located next to AR camps.

There are camps of Chin-Kuki militants even next to Leimakhong army headquarters, the WMC pointed out before asking the Govt of India how long it will allow the violence to go on.

The Meetei women started demanding withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Manipur because their credibility has dwindled terribly.

Furthermore, there were incidents where the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel set fire to a shop and vandalised cars belonging to the public.

The Meetei has now lost confidence in the Central security forces, this is a very serious matter, they said.

Meanwhile, a letter dated 7th June 2019 written to Amit Shah by SS Haokip, Chairman of UKLF (United Kuki Liberation Front), an organization under SoO which surfaced in various social media platforms claimed that his organization supported BJP in winning the Manipur Legislative Election, 2017 .

In other such news, it is claimed by the Kuki militant groups that the Union Govt had given commitment to support their political demand if they come to power in the State.

It looks like the Kukis orchestrated their plan by targeting Meetei, instilling violence and later framing the conflict as "Ethnic Cleansing by Meetei" so that they can built up a base for the demand of separate administration after the BJP led Govt did not deliver their commitment to Kuki people.

On the other hand, the Govt.has not done enough to safeguard and protect the Meetei civilians, and the violence is still continuing in the State, they said.

National Highway No 2, the economic lifeline of the State that passes through Kangpokpi, a mere 10 Km stretch, has been blocked by the Kukis since May 3 and the Government is not doing enough to clear the blockade.

The Meetei has become the scapegoat in this entire episode of the violence while both Chin-Kuki militants and the Govt.of India are maneuvering their deals, the WMC decried.

To bring normalcy in Manipur, the Govt of India must contain, control and disarm the Chin-Kuki militants.

Unless Justice is done to Meetei, there will be no durable peace in Manipur.

The Constitutional protection - ST status to Meetei is inevitable and Meetei can't fall prey anymore to the changing dynamics of geo-politics in the region, they added.