FoH, WMC urge PM Modi to take decisive action
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 02 2024: Federation of Haomee (FoH), an organisation representing 25 communities of "aboriginal people in Manipur", has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging immediate intervention to restore peace and order in the state.

The Federation, led by its president Sapamcha Jadumani, highlighted several critical issues affecting the indigenous population and urged the Prime Minister to take decisive action.

In the memorandum, it expressed admiration of PM Modi's leadership and commitment to protecting Manipur from deforestation and drug smuggling, particularly proliferation of poppy plantations and acknowledged efforts of the BJP government in the state in the "War against Drugs" initiative and its actions to check and uproot illegal encroachers in reserved and protected forests evoking significant public support.

However, the Federation raised concerns about the escalating crisis in the state by groups of illegal immigrants backed by armed factions, primarily those involved in drug smuggling and poppy cultivation.

According to the Federation, these groups including people expelled from the Golden Triangle in Myanmar and others who have obtained citizenship in Manipur have been agitating for a separate territory within the state since May 3, 2023, which it claimed is aimed at establishing a new Golden Triangle, free from interference, for drug trafficking and related activities.

While referring to diversion of drug trafficking routes due to the ongoing unrest as smugglers are now using Mizoram to transport drugs to other parts of India, the Federation cautioned that in case the Prime Minister does not intensify efforts against the drug menace, India s youth could face severe consequences due to increased drug availability and usage.

Further pointing to unnatural increase in the number of villages in Manipur, which it believes correlates with the rising population of Chin-Kuki-Zo, who are allegedly involved in poppy cultivation and drug trafficking, it asserted that these individuals are not indigenous to Manipur but entered the state illegally.

The Federation stressed that India, a country built on the principles of 'Dharma', must uphold its sanctity and that it is the duty of every Indian to protect the nation's integrity.

It called on PM Modi to uphold his commitment to preserving Manipur's territorial integrity and to take immediate action against those demanding a separate administration or territory within the state, which the Federation sees as a direct challenge to the Prime Minister's vision.

It also urged PM Modi to take specific actions, including granting full Unified Command power to chief minister N Bi-ren to effectively address the ongoing crisis and called for punitive measures against legislators supporting the demand for a separate administration for what it termed a "drug territory" in Manipur.

Additionally, the Federation requested for cancelling citizenship of those who have entered Manipur illegally since 1951 .

The memorandum further requested constitutional protection for the indigenous and religious sites in Manipur, such as the Thangjing and Koubru hill ranges, under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 along with proposing that, given Manipur's geographical features, the Parliament should consider declaring the entire state a hill state to facilitate better administration.

In conclusion, the Federation reiterated it trust in Prime Minister Modi's leadership and urged him to take swift and decisive action to address the issues in Manipur, particularly concerning drug-related activities and the preservation of the state's territorial integrity.

The memorandum underscored the urgency of the situation, warning that failure to act could lead to further unrest and undermine public confidence in the government's ability to maintain peace and order in Manipur.

World Meetei Council (WMC) also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister calling for immediate and decisive action to address the ongoing violence in the state and change in the state's leadership.

The memorandum, reflecting the concerns of indigenous Meetei community, highlighted severe impact of the unrest that began on May 3, 2023, on both the local populace and immigrant communities due to persistent attacks carried out by illegal immigrant Chin-Kuki groups.

WMC acknowledged PM Modi's address regarding the Manipur situation during the last monsoon session in the Rajya Sabha.

However, it expressed dissatisfaction with the response, stating that the root causes of the violence and the necessary solutions to control it were not fully addressed.

WMC emphasised that the ongoing unrest has significantly strained the state's social fabric and poses a threat to the state's stability and existence.

The memorandum pointed out that the violence is being perpetuated by heavily armed Chin-Kuki groups which are under the SoO agreement with the government.

Despite the deployment of approximately 60,000 Indian Army and Assam Rifles personnel, their effective operation has been limited by this agreement, preventing them from taking action against the 2,200 armed cadres, as stated by the SoO groups' spokesman in a recent television interview, WMC said.

The Council highlighted that Manipur has faced numerous challenges since joining India in 1949 and achieving statehood in 1972.While previous unrests were often politically motivated, the current violence appears to be aimed at destabilising the state itself.

It expressed belief that decisive action by the Government of India could bring an immediate end to the violence.

The memorandum also criticised the state government led by CM Biren, stating that it has failed to create a conducive environment over the past 16 months.

Citing recent incidents at Koutruk, including the killing of two people, injuries caused to ten others, and the burning of a village by Chin-Kuki groups near the National Sports University, WMC accused the Biren administration of failing to maintain peace and order in the state.

Given the continued violence and the perceived ineffectiveness of the current leadership, WMC called for a change in leadership.

Appointing a new leader could help restore peace and create a more stable environment in the state, WMC said while urging the PM to consider this request in the interest of the people of Manipur, who have endured significant suffering due to the ongoing violence.

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