PM urged to protect preserve Manipur's integrity
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 20 2023: Co-ordinating Com-mittee of Clubs and Mei-ra - Paibis of South-Eastern Manipur, a recently formed body of people affected by the May 3 incident, has urged Prime Minister Na-rendra Modi to protect and preserve integrity of Mani-pur and reject the separate administration or separate territory demand for the Kukis.

In a memorandum ad-dressed to PM Modi on Sat-urday, Committee convener S Yaifaba demanded that all the illegal immigrants should be deported to their country after proper implementation of NRC as early as possible; include Meetei community in the Schedule Tribes list for protection of the indigenous people of Manipur; delete the term 'Any Kuki /any Mizo tribes' from the ST list of Manipur; make 1951 the base year of the Inner Line Permit System for identifying the indigenes of Manipur; and safe resettlement of all the displaced Meetei people.

The 10 Kuki MLAs of Mani-pur who are demanding sep-arate administration should be disqualified & necessary legal actions initiated against them as per law of the land and the Suspension of Op-eration (So01 agreement with Kuki militant groups should be withdrawn, it also demanded, while adding, "If such So0 continues, and state and central forces can-not protect the indigenous Meitei/Meetei community, we the indigenous people of Manipur, will be compelled to take up necessary actions for self-protection of our community and our land." The Committee also con-tended that the incumbent DGP Manipur, who belongs to Kuki community, should be replaced by a non-biased and non-Kuki officer; Myan-mar-based armed group, People's Defence Force (PDF) allegedly involved May 3 in-cident should be driven out from Manipur; Highway Protection Forces should be deployed to safeguard all the NHs of Manipur; checking and destroying of poppy plantations in hill districts of Manipur; protection & preservation of reserved and protected forest areas; and to bring an immediate am-icable solution for peaceful co-existence and commu-nal harmony amongst the various indigenous tribes of Manipur.

Manipur has different tribes and communities who have been living together in different parts of the state for many centuries.

However, the so-called Kukis started taking shelter in Manipur in last few decades from Myan-mar and some neighbouring states.

There are numerous Kuki militant groups in Ma-nipur and they have been disturbing and interfering in the administration and there is no law in Kuki pop-ulated hill areas of the state, it claimed.

The Committee further maintained that majority of the so-called Kuki tribes illegally settling in the hilly regions of the state planting poppies through deforesta-tion of protected forest areas for the last 2-3 decades in collusion with the Kuki mil-itant groups and some high ranking officials of the state and central governments.

It also alleged that the un-fortunate incident that broke out on May 3 is a well-de-signed and pre-planned political conspiracy of the so-called Kukis including legislatures, executives, CSOs, student organisa-tions, etc., and Kuki mili-tant groups, while adding that during the so-called peace rally on May 3, or-ganised by the Kuki CSOs with various Kuki UGs, led to destruction, burning of houses, looting and attack-ing on sacred sites such as temples & worship places belonging to Meetei commu-nity consequently sparking communal violence in other parts of Manipur.

Many lives of Meetei community were lost, many houses and prop-erties were turned to ashes.

Subsequently, allegations and counter-allegations continue between Kuki and Meetei community.

More-over, many Meetei people are taking shelter in relief camps opened by the state government and voluntary organisations, it mentioned.

The Committee further ap-pealed to the PM to take nec-essary actions for protecting lives and properties of the Meetei people on priority.

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