Rich tributes paid to Khamenlok martyrs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 13 2025: On the second anniversary of the Battle of Khamenlok, a large number of people today offered highest respect and rich tributes to all the martyrs of the battle.

A second commemorative function of the Battle of Khamenlok was held today at Nongshum Community Hall, Imphal East under the aegis of the Eramdam Kanba Lup (EKAL).

Apart from offering floral tributes to the photographs of the 10 martyrs, the gathering observed silence for two minutes in memory of the martyrs.

Former UNLF Chairman RK Meghen alias Sanayaima, Pambei-led UNLF's Acting Chairman M Nongyai, MLAs Th Lokeshwor, Kh Ibomcha and leaders of several civil society organisations including AMUCO, FOCS and COCOMI spoke at the commemorative function.

EKAL Advisor Ning-thoukhongjam Sanatomba Meetei said that the commemorative function is specially significant as it gives a perfect opportunity to follow the footsteps of those martyrs and strengthen the collective resolve to defend Manipur at all costs.

Whatever steps taken up by the Government of India in the name of bringing a solution to the protracted crisis smack of insincerity.

"We cannot afford to put our guards down, we still need to remain alert", Sanatomba said.

Pambei-led UNLF's Acting Chairman M Nongyai said that the Battle of Khamenlok will be remembered forever.

The violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023 has already completed two years and all this time, the Centre remained indifferent.

But recently, the Government of India seems to be putting in some efforts to bring an end to the crisis, Nongyai remarked.

But the Indian leaders need to first change their mindset before exploring a solution to the crisis, he said.

The violence was not started by the Meiteis.

If the Indian leaders stick to the notion that the Meiteis started the violence, any solution to the crisis would not be fair, he said, and added that the Indian leaders must be talked to in detail so that they discard their misplaced notion.

The Government of India could have stopped the violence at the beginning but they deliberately let it rage on.

Saying that all the people should have 'one stand, one voice', Nongyai appealed to all concerned not to spread false propaganda which can create panic among the masses.

Paying deepest respect to all the martyrs of Khamenlok, former UNLF Chairman RK Meghen called upon all the people to introspect why the Manipuris are unable to protect the boundary of Manipur and the State's boundary is shrinking day by day.

The current aggression is not a gameplan of the Kukis alone.

The Kukis have been working together with some unseen forces and these unseen forces have been taking key roles in planning the aggression, he said.

Just as the British colonial rulers used Kukis, the Government of India has been using the Kukis to serve their interests.

As such, the aggression is a part of a much bigger strategy, the former rebel leader asserted.

The Kukis attacked Meiteis to destroy Manipur.

Given this fact, Meiteis need to take a firm decision not in the interest of the Meitei community alone but in the larger interest of the whole of Manipur, Meghen said.

The current aggression is a part of a strategy to divide the communities permanently.

In the face of this strategy aimed at confining the Meiteis within the valley districts, the Meiteis must not think for the Meitei community alone, he said.

Saying that some forces have been taking undue advantage of the Meitei's inability to embrace and take along other communities, Meghen asserted that Manipur can be saved only when Meiteis start thinking and acting as real sons and daughters of Manipur.

He appealed to all the Meiteis not to think for the Meitei community alone.

Given the political unrest and military confrontations or posturing seen in the neighbouring countries, it is hard to foretell what impacts these developments will have on Manipur, he said.

"We must think in advance what decision we must take at that time in the future", Sanayaima added.

COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said that the violent crisis is not any ordinary communal conflict.

It needs to be fought on multiple fronts including diplomacy, self defence and people's movements, he said.

The aggression is a proxy war waged by hiring and arming foreign mercenaries and immigrants, Athouba said.

It is now known that the Government of India has its hands in the aggression but nobody can say for sure how the Government of India's plan can be defeated.

It needs diplomacy to defeat the Government of India's plan which is already known to be guilty, he said.

The Government of India does not care whether the Meiteis survive or are wiped out, he added.

The MLAs need to present the people's grievances and demands as highlighted through CSOs on legal or Constitutional platforms.

Appealing to all the people not to see the CSOs as all-capable, Athouba said that it is the MLAs who must act on the people's grievances and wishes.

"Although the fighting has ceased, we have been working to work out a lasting solution so that the future generations do not face such violent conflicts", he said.

Since the Chin-Kuki groups who have been conspiring to break apart Manipur have declared that negotiations would now be done by SoO groups, the SoO groups must be held accountable henceforth.

If the SoO groups which are being given monthly stipends by the Government of India open fire again, it would be declared as waging war against Manipur by India.

This was told categorically to the MHA officials during the recent talks, Athouba said.

The commemorative function also featured a blood donation camp.

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