Media coverage on Moreh violence draw flak from KSO
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Kangpokpi, August 22 2015 :
Explaining the factors responsible for the violent confrontation that broke out in Moreh on August 18, Kuki Students' Organization, General Headquarter, the apex Kuki student body, has strongly criticized the alleged biased reporting by some section of electronic and print media in the State.
The KSO (GHQ), Vice President Sasang Vaiphei said that in view of the unfair reporting witnessed in some section of the media on Moreh confrontation, the Kuki students' apex body felt the need to make public aware of the true nature of the incident and the factors responsible for violent confrontation.
Sasang refuted that Meitei community in Moreh numbering about 400 households had been trying to hold ILPS related rally in Moreh ever since the demand for ILP gathered steam in Imphal.
Anticipating disturbance, the Hill Tribal Council (HTC) met the Meitei Council Moreh (MCM) and tried to dissuade them from carrying out the rally.
Presenting some uncertainties of the HTC about the rally, HTC considered the rally as ill-timed since Moreh had been reeling under acute hardship as it was cut off from both sides of the Trans Asian highway for weeks by landslide and flood while adding that such rally which could lead to further agitation would place Moreh in an even more precarious situation.
KSO GHQ leader further lamented that the ILP agitation in Imphal had already taken its toll in Imphal by totally paralyzing educational institutions and everyday life of its residents and the HTC did not want the same problems to affect Moreh, he said.
Sasang said in the past few months, many articles and comments related to ILP by some Meetei associations in the media named Kukis as foreigners.
The KSO had appealed to the apex Meetei CSOs through newspapers to restrain these associations from making such insensible statements with indifferent attitude which has a disturbing effect on the Kukis who started to view the ILP movement in the valley with suspicion and alienation, the KSO GHQ Vice President added.
HTC regarded the ILP rally as ill-conceived knowing the sentiment of its people over the foreigner tag.
KSO also recalled that the HTC and MCM met thrice to discuss the rally issue and finally on August 17 they came into an agreement in which the MCM agreed to call off the rally.
However, the District Magistrate, in sensing trouble brewing, issued an order clamping CrPC 144 in Moreh with effect from August 18, added Sasang Vaiphei.
KSO alleged that on August 18 at around 8 am the Meetei community, in total violation of the agreement between HTC and MCM unfortunately came out on the street and forcibly shut down schools and business establishments.
Sasang Vaiphei said even though the CrPC 144 imposed in the Moreh, the police commandos allowed the "rowdy crowd" to take out procession on the street instead of trying to disperse the them and this infuriated the Kuki community.
The KSO leader said that when the Kuki community came out on the streets to protest, they were met with stiff resistance from the police commandos.
He continued that while the protest was taking place on the street, the protesters were fired upon from a nearby building and wounded four (4) Kuki protesters namely Lalminlen Zou (23) of Ward No-7; Hougunlen (25) of Ward No-1; Lalminlen (28) and Seingam (24) of Chawangphai and added that on seeing the wounded men the protest turned violent.
These are the facts that the media intentionally choosing to ignore by turning a blind eye to the facts by trying to place the Kukis of Moreh in poor light, maintained Sasang Vaiphei.
He added that the media never reported the gunfire and the casualties suffered by Kuki community but gave repeated coverage of the woes of the Meitei community of Moreh.
KSO appeals to all communities in the State to uphold the reconciliation peace meeting, initiated by various civil society organizations on August 19 at Moreh Trade Center to maintain peace and normalcy in the border town of Moreh.
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