Foreign hands in waging war against Nation...Why SoO not scrapped, asks MIYC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 09 2023: Even after acknowledging publicly that the current crisis in Manipur is in fact about certain groups waging war against India with the help of militant groups from Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Central Government has failed to scrap SoO and crackdown on the Kuki militants, said Manipur International Youth Centre (MIYC) .

"The Centre and the State Government has acknowledged and stated that the current crisis is in fact militants waging war against India with the help of militant groups in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

But, why has the Government not scrapped the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact and carried out military operations against Kuki militants?" MIYC asked.

Even after the admission and the clear statements given by the State and the Central Government, it is appalling how the Central security forces are seen together with the Kuki militants, who are waging war against India, said MIYC in a statement it released today.

If the Centre actually stands by its admission, the Home Ministry should issue an official statement on this, it added.

Regarding the issue of poppy cultivation, MIYC said India's Defence Minister has expressed his desire to use and deploy the Indian Air Force to destroy poppy plantations in the hills of Manipur, provided the State Government makes such a request.

However, the State Government has not written to the Defence Ministry making such a request, it said, hinting that the State Government should make the request to destroy the poppy plantations.

Manipur has become a second Golden Triangle.

India's intelligence and many experts have estimated the annual earning from the poppy/drug trade in Manipur to be between Rs 50,000 crore and Rs 55,000 crore.

Funded by this huge narco-economy, Kuki militants are engaged in narco-terrorism activities and waging war to create Zalengam-a Kuki Nation, carved out of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh, the Manipur International Youth Centre said.

It pointed out that after ethnic tension erupted in Manipur on May 3, drug seizure in Mizoram has gone up to reach Rs 372 crore.

A former DGP who is now a responsible MLA has claimed that many individuals from the valley region are funding and involved in the poppy cultivation.

This claim must be investigated thoroughly, said MIYC.

Delving into the current crisis, MIYC asserted that the people have very little trust in the Indian Government to crack down on Kuki militant groups to end the crisis.

It claimed that India's long standing policy has been to suppress and end the Meitei and Naga insurgencies using Kuki militants.

Moreover, the Indian Government needs the support of the Kukis for completing the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), claimed MIYC.

The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project (KMTTP) is a multi-crore project that connects eastern seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Rakhine State, Myanmar by sea.

In Myanmar, it will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa in Chin State via the Kaladan river boat route, and then from Paletwa by road to Mizoram State in North-East India.

MIYC continued that the Indian Government will also need the support of the Kukis in many other projects to undertake oil palm plantations and extract natural resources.

Godrej Agrovet Company has been given the greenlight to undertake oil palm cultivation, it added.

Even as many sections have expressed their desire to protect the present State Government and avoid imposition of President's Rule, the current State Government however is existing in name only, said MIYC.

It asserted that the State Government at present wields no power.

It said, "While it is unfortunate for us that our elected leaders have failed to raise their voice against the use of excessive force by the Central security forces against the people at Torbung, Pallel and Imphal etc, it would be wrong to blame our leaders for Central Government's failure and the use of excessive force by the security forces.

"It is only the beginning of the crisis.

People should exercise restraint and avoid conflict and clashes among ourselves.

Those people who have apologised and learnt their mistakes shouldn't be harmed as per our culture," said MIYC.

It said amid the burning crisis, elected leaders must avoid dividing people in their Constituencies for political gains.

Many of the civil society organisations have worked for the welfare of the people and the State for decades.

People as a whole should support them and the organisations must work sincerely to unite and lead the people in the right path, said MIYC.

On the other hand, more than a week after the arrest of four persons for abduction and murder, the Government and the investigating agencies seem nowhere near recovering the bodies of two missing students, said Manipur International Youth Centre (MIYC) .

Hijam Linthoingambi (17) and Phijam Hemanjit (20) went missing on July 6 and photographs of the two alive and dead in the captivity of armed Kuki men surfaced on social media on September 25 causing widespread outrage and protests.

While one photograph shows them sitting with fear in captivity of armed men, another photograph shows them lying on the ground.

According to a time stamp on the latter photograph, the two students were suspected to have been killed on July 8 .

After the photographs went viral on social media, CBI was given the case and it arrested four persons on October 1 for abduction and murder of the two teens.

The Manipur International Youth Centre said even after the arrest of the four persons, the bodies of the two students have not been traced and recovered yet.

This has caused suspicion among the people that the arrests were made to pacify the public anger and protests.

The bodies have not been traced and no steps are seen taken up to try the accused persons in a Fast Track Court, said MIYC.

Had the case/incident happened in other parts of the country, it would have gained the attention and sympathy of the whole Nation, it added.

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