Makhan VA demands action against poppy cultivators
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 23 2024: Makhan Village Authority has called for immediate halt to poppy cultivation in its jurisdiction, alleging a pervasive encroachment into Liangmai Naga lands by opium poppy planters, especially some Kuki groups and individuals.

The village authority claimed this practice has brought horror to the community and accused the government of failing to act decisively despite prior communications.

In a statement, the village authority detailed an incident on November 20, at 11:30 am, when a mission involving young Makhan Village volunteers and over 30 police personnel, led by the Addl SP Kangpokpi, was disrupted.

This mission, intended to destroy illegal poppy plantations, failed as the Kuki poppy planters, armed with guns and weapons, attacked the team and confiscated the equipment and hardware brought in to decimate the poppy plants, it said.

The statement emphasised that this mission was undertaken following repeated communications, including an official one, to the SP Kangpokpi.

The volunteers, led by the Addl SP and his team, were met with aggression at the site.

The poppy planters overpowered the team, "mauling the equipment and hardware brought to cut off the poppy plants,"' effectively incapacitating the operation.

The young volunteers, present to assist the police in navigating the difficult and unfamiliar terrain and to show solidarity with the government's War on Drugs mission, were forced to retreat.

The statement described the volunteers as traumatised by the gun-wielding poppy planters, while accusing the police team of showing no restraint against the violent mob.

Makhan Village Authority condemned the incident as a "subversion of the authority of the Manipur State police," describing it as a "corrupted depravity" against both the government and the global fight against drugs.

The statement expressed shock at the police running away from the poppy planters, calling it a "mockery of their arms and uniform," and labelled the violent attack as beastly and unprecedented in the government's fight against poppy cultivation and drugs.

Initially seeking a peaceful resolution, the village believed the Kuki groups and individuals involved would adhere to a "cultured demeanour" in dialogue.

However, this faith had been trampled upon by the aggressive actions of the poppy planters.

The Makhan Village Authority then set an ultimatum to the government, demanding swift action within four days to destroy the poppy plantations in Makhan Liangmai Naga areas and arrest the Kuki poppy cartel groups and individuals involved in the incident.

It warned of "repulsive and abominable" repercussions if the government fails to act and threatened to tamper with commuting and all forms of transport as part of its democratic protest.

The village authority said that it will honour the four-day timeline, expressing hope that the government would address the matter with "speed, precision, and efficiency", while cautioning of placing full responsibility for any fallout on the government if it fails to act promptly.

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