IGF castigates Kuki militants
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 04 2023:
In a strongly worded allegation, the International Gorkha Forum (IGF) based in London has accused the Kuki militants of 'forcibly' making demands which are 'unbearable and unacceptable' to the poor and innocent Gorkha people living in the hill districts of Manipur.
The IGF, in a statement signed by its media-convenor, Bharat Belbase, claimed that there are numerous instances of continuous extortion in cash and kind from the Gorkhas in the hills by the Kuki militants.
Strongly condemning the acts of extortion, loot, harassments, impositions and forced donations allegedly by Kuki militants IGF said that the Gorkhas living in Manipur and other States of North East India have been living peacefully with different communities and added that the Gorkhas have also been extending solidarity to the victims of the violent conflict between the two sections of people irrespective of their ethnicity.
"Our people have been generously providing relief materials in both the hills and the valley in these trying times and involving in restoration of peace and normalcy at their level," the Forum said.
Further stating that they take the conduct of Kuki militants as a direct threat to the neutrality of the Gorkhas, the Forum reasoned that brutality in any form has no place in the contemporary world.
The Kuki militants should not take the restrain and neutrality of Gorkhas as weakness, the Forum advised and cautioned that Kuki militants however have crossed the reasonable limit and are going against the spirit of mutual respect.
Asking the Centre, Manipur Government, Kuki militants and their CSOs to take responsibility in case of any eventuality, the Forum urged the Kuki community and its CSOs to address the issue at hand before it takes an ugly turn.
The Gorkha worldwide will not remain mute spectators to the atrocities being carried out to 'our people' in Manipur, the IGF asserted and reiterated that the tolerance and neutrality of the Gorkhas should not be taken as weakness.
"The wound is still fresh when in 2012 then Congress Government deleted four Gram Panchayats vis Koubru Leikha, Toribari, Kalapahar and Santolabari Parsain for reason best known to the Government at the cost of Meitei and Gorkha communities," the Forum cautioned.
"If a man says he is not afraid of dying, either he is lying or is a Gorkha," the Forum quoted late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.