Observe May 3 as 'Awakening Day of Indigenes': VVF
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 28 2024:
Village Volunteer Force (VVF) appealed for observance of 'Awaken ing Day of the Indigenous People (Yelhoumee Meekap Thokpa Numit)' on May 3 to connnemorate the day when Kuki narco-terrorists and their associates launched unprecedented attacks on the Meetei communities of Churachandpur, Moreh, Motbung, Torbung, Torbung Bangla, Phoubakchao Ikhai, Waikhurok and Ikou.
In a release, VVF secretary Kh Ibungobi Singh reminded that on May 3, 2023, Kuki narco-terrorists orchestrated attacks and torched houses with the ulterior motive to force the Meetei families abandon their homes and turn them into refugees in their own homeland.
Stating that since the past many years, Kuki narco-terrorists had been scheming for demographic invasion of the indigenous people by using illegal immigrants, the secretary referred to official records in possession of the WF that in December, 1967 around 500 Kuki refugee families settled in Manipur with the figure rising to 1300 in 1973 .
It is an irrefutable fact that the number of illegal immigrants from Myanmar have increased manifold in the recent years, Ibungobi said.
Recalling the Kuki-Naga conflict which started in Moreh and lasted from 1992 till 1999, VVF contended that the Meetei community was ignorant of the fact that the Nagas were fighting against the impending domination by the illegal immigrants.
Mentioning that in 2005, Kuki and Zomi militant groups reached an understanding with the Indian military followed by signing of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the government in 2008, secretary Ingobi opined that the pact was part of the plan to realise the goal of demographic invasion in Manipur.
It further maintained that evidences of Kuki narco-terrorists' demographic invasion plan came to the fore after Kuki organisations opposed state government's move to renovate the Meetei's pilgrimage sites of Koubru and Thangjing; caused destruction to the environment through mass plantation of poppy and using drug money to purchase homestead land from financially struggling Meetei families; forceful settlements in reserved and protected forests, wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands; occupation of Valley Village Reserve areas earlier preserved under the provision of Manipur Durbar Resolution No 10-A of 20-7-1932; etc.
Although, WF and likeminded groups had been attempting to shed light on the Kuki narco-terrorists' demographic invasion attempts, the general people only became aware of the issue when the unfortunate incident occurred on May 3, 2023.Thus, May 3 should be aptly observed as the 'Awakening Day of the Indigenous People', WF said and appealed to CSOs and organisations concerned to support the same.
Meanwhile, Phaknung Social Youths' Club, Recent Youth Club, Apunba Meira Paibi (Moidangpok) and Apunba Meitei Ema Lup (AMELUP) also endorsed the call for observing May 3 as realisation day for the indigenous people.