Unite against infiltrators call issued
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2023: The All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) observed the 26th Manipur Integrity Day in commemoration of the historic mass rally taken out on August 4, 1997 to protect the territorial integrity of the State today.

At around 9 am, people gathered near Pologround and offered floral tributes at the Integrity Pillar.

After the ceremony at Integrity Pillar, the gathering went to Kwakeithel Akham Leikai in front of AMUCO office and observed the Manipur Integrity Day which was attended by AMUCO president Nando Luwang, Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur president Longjam Memchoubi and All Manipur Meitei Pangal Clubs Organisation president FM Anawar Ali as presidium members.

Unite against infiltrators call issued

At the function, Nando Luwang said that all indigenous people of Manipur will head to a very uncertain future if they fail to acknowledge the issue at hand which needs to be dealt with immediately and things which can be done or discussed afterward.

"Manipur may even become a land administered by outsiders if all indigenous people don't stick together and work under a common cause," he cautioned.

Saying that misunderstanding or problem, if any, among the indigenous people can be discussed hundreds of times to work out a solution once the violence ends, Nando Luwang said that unity among the indigenous people is indispensable to defeat the Kuki militants and their associates who scheme to tear apart Manipur.

The integrity of Manipur has been put at stake due to the demand of separate administration/State and hostilities of armed miscreants from Myanmar who are sponsored by drug cartels and Kuki militants under Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact, he cautioned.

The Kukis are using brute force to disintegrate Manipur instead of placing their demand politically, the AMUCO president continued and asked the Government to take appropriate action against Kuki militants who allegedly are using their people to withdraw State forces from hill districts.

He also said that State forces are not exclusive to Meiteis.

Maintaining the violence in Manipur started from Kuki dominated hill districts while the Meiteis are only defending themselves, Nando Luwang further urged the Government to deploy adequate State forces at hill districts to prevent balkanisation of Manipur.

Make the Kukis stop firing and attacking Meiteis first to end the violence, the AMUCO president added.

Urging the Kuki militants and their associates to stop playing politics with the bodies of dead people, Nando Luwang claimed that the Meiteis won't react if they prepare the graveyard for the slain Kuki people at their own places.

He appealed to all concerned to hand over the remains of the Meiteis killed by Kukis to their respective families.

Secretary general of AMUCO Dr Narendra Thokchom, while delivering the welcome address, said that the indigenous people of Manipur have been protecting the integrity of the State since the ancient period together.

He also said that a resolution to protect the State's unity and integrity at all costs was taken during the rally of August 4, 1997 .

Claiming that successive Indian Governments, however, have been driving a wedge among the people of Manipur to effectuate their divide and rule policy, Dr Narendra alleged the Central Government is backing the Kukis in the ongoing conflict.

AMUCO has been facing the divisive game of the successive Central Governments from time to time and will continue to do so whenever there is a threat to the State's integrity, he said and added that Manipur will succumb to the 'sinister' policy of India if people don't unite.

It is time for all the indigenous people of Manipur to unite to protect the land and resources of Manipur from outsiders who want to disintegrate the State, he appealed.

Sections of people who came to Manipur only lately and external forces have joined hands to tear apart the erstwhile sovereign Kingdom which has a history spanning thousands of years, he said and added that the violence in Manipur was engineered to justify the demand for separate administration/State.

It is now up to the indigenous people to safeguard Manipur as the Indian Government has deliberately ignored the prolonged violence, he added.

Founder member of AMUCO ex-MLA RK Anand also attended the programme.