Muslims start fleeing as Kuki militants infiltrate Jiribam
Source: Chronicle News Service

Jiribam, September 25 2024: Amid reports of increasing presence of armed Kuki militants in Jiribam and nearby districts, flashing arms in broad daylight, the neutral Muslim community has started to shift to safer areas due to escalating tension and intermittent gunfights between the two communities in conflict.

Even as Jiribam denizens were suspicious about proliferation of armed Kuki militants from different areas including Churachandpur district, their apprehension turned out to be valid as handful of Kukis armed with automatic weapons from Churachandpur district got killed during confrontations with Meetei village volunteers in areas under Jiribam district and on examining drone footages received in the last few days.

Mongbung Meetei village, which is slightly elevated from the plain, has become frequent targets of Kuki militants.

Located about 7 kilometres from Jiribam town, Meeteis and Kukis reside in close vicinity.

However, as Kukis are residing in the upper Mongbung Kuki village, they have been attacking the Meeteis by taking advantage of the elevation.

Kuki militants have also converted the abandoned Jiribam tea estate, a dense jungle area within Sejang village, as their hideout and after attacking Meetei villages, flee to the abandoned tea estate where security forces are hapless other than recovery of spent cartridges and abandoned local made firearms during search follow up operations.

The tea estate which was once a place for collecting firewood and grazing ground for cattle of different communities including Muslim is now off-limit for all others except the Kukis.

As Mongbung Meetei village is surrounded by Kuki, Hmar and Muslim villages accessing the same from Jiribam town necessitates passing villages of different communities.

Meanwhile, Mongbung and Sejang Kuki villages have become strategic points for Kuki militants offering alternative routes for reinforcement and withdrawal avoiding Jiribam town resided by Meeteis and instead pass through Jarolpoki Hmar village on the eastern side and then Tamenglong district or the hill tracts of Vangai Range.

On the southern side, Latingkhal village, resided by Bengali Muslim, connects with Hmar and Kuki villages in Borbekra sub division and one can reach Assam by crossing Jiri River from Munjol village.

As such, Kuki militants from the two Kuki villages can avoid Meetei villages with ease.

So, it is not a difficult task for the Kuki militants to reinforce even from Churachandpur and attack Mongbung Meetei village from Mongbung and Sejang Kuki villages or from the tea estate.

However, considering the sparse population and as a precautionary measure, Assam Rifles has been safeguarding Hmar and Kuki villages since the conflict erupted while Kuki militants have been attacking Meetei villages using bombs from the two villages.

People of Jiribam have raised posers as to how the central forces protecting the two villages are overlooking attacks by Kuki militants who generally descend from Mongbung and Sejang Kuki villages.

Mention may also be made that Kuki militants killed an elderly person asleep at his Ningthem Khunou home before retreating and firing shots.

They also suspect that the central forces are giving a free hand to the Kuki militants to target the Meeteis.

As the proliferation of armed Kuki militants in Jiribam and the attacks on Meeteis intensified, people of Mongbung Meetei village and other Meetei settlements close to Kuki villages and in the periphery areas are on the edge.

As such the denizens are demanding reinforcement of state forces in addition to those already deployed in Jiribam for safeguarding their lives and properties.

Amidst the increase presence and attacks of armed Kuki militants in Jiribam, residents of Mongbung Meetei village and neighbouring Meetei communities near Kuki villages are living in a state of heightened anxiety, prompting desperate appeals for reinforcement of state forces in Jiribam.

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