ST for Meeteis is justice : WMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 29 2024: Saying that there won't be durable peace in Manipur unless justice is done to Meeteis, the World Meetei Council has yet again urged the Government to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Meetei/Meitei.

In a statement, WMC said that Meetei/Meitei shouldn't be allowed to fall prey to the changing dynamics of the geo-politics of the region anymore by enlisting them in the ST list of the Constitution.

The Council also said that the Government of India must contain, control and disarm the Chin-Kuki militants to restore normalcy in Manipur.

Saying that updating National Register of Citizens and land-law modifications alone cannot save the Meetei/Meitei, the Council reiterated its demand to add the Meetei/Meitei in the ST list.

ST for Meeteis is justice : WMC

"Justice should precede peace and there will be no durable peace in Manipur unless justice is delivered to Meetei/Meitei," it added.

On the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact, the Council claimed that the points mentioned in the agreement have never been honoured by the Kuki outfits and the Government is a mute spectator to it.

The WMC asked why the Government is remaining silent when there is already strong evidence of Kuki militant groups violating the SoO agreement.

How did Kuki outfit members wielding sophisticated AK-56 rifles take part in the violent rally of May 3, 2023 organised by the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM), it asked.

The WMC also shared links of some news reports of what they say are evidence of Kuki militant groups violating the SoO norms and also the photos of burning down/ attacking SP & DC office at Churachandpur on February 15 .

Meanwhile, the WMC said that there is misinformation on the Manipur High Court order dated March 27, 2023 pertaining to the ST status demand by Meetei/Meitei.

Saying that the recent order of removal of Paragraph 17(iii) of the High Court order does not change the effect of the order, the Council continued that the Government of Manipur is still obliged to send the ethnographic and socio-economic reports of Meetei/Meitei to the Centre to study if the ethnic group can be added in the ST list.

The WMC then urged the State Government to send the two reports to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs immediately 'as it is a matter of survival for the Meetei/Meitei in Manipur' .

On highway blockade, the Council said that National Highway-2 and National Highway-37 were frequently blocked by the Kuki groups since the violence erupted on May 3 last year.

"The Kangpokpi area along National Highway-2 which is a mere 10 Km stretch needs to be guarded by security forces for smooth movement," it said and added that some areas along NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam route) which pass through have become problematic.

Saying that the inability of the Government to resolve the issue along National Highways has affected the supply of logistics, the Council continued that they have already raised 'this concern' to the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) during a meeting held on November 17, 2023 at Guwahati.

It also said that NHRC had instructed the State Government for immediate resolution of the issue 'but the situation remains the same till today' .

Asserting that imposing blockade along National Highways is a gross violation of basic human rights and the same should be considered as crime, the Council said that Kuki organizations concerned should be punished.