HM Shah petitioned to retract decision on withdrawal of AR
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 01 2024: Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF) submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealing for retracting the decision to withdraw Assam Rifles stationed in district boundaries and ensuring maintenance of buffer zones in the boundaries of Churachandpur-Bishnupur and Kangpokpi-Imphal West districts.

Failure to do this may result in a far-reaching ramification which may ultimately result to even more state sponsored atrocities towards the Kuki-Zomi tribals, ZSF said in its memorandum.

"The deployment and presence of Assam Rifles and the Army at the district boundaries has been instrumental in the maintenance of buffer zones without which countless lives could have been lost at the hands of the state forces and the Meitei radicals," asserted ZSF, while adding that the decision to withdraw AR gives the impression of central leaders' apathy towards addressing problems of the threat that the state government poses on the Kuki-Zomi people.

Observing that the decision to withdraw AR is a clear indication of the gradual implementation of the plans of the state government to annihilate their people and force peace talks upon them without the realisation of a political solution-first by diminishing the buffer zones, by deploying central armed police forces and ultimately deploying state police and also implement the state government's plan to conduct joint operations, the student body stressed the need for continued maintenance of the buffer zones by AR and army as there is general lack of faith in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), in particular the CRPF which is being led by a Meitei officer.

ZSF further demanded immediate removal of a police officer holding him accountable for atrocities committed by state forces.

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