Act of terrorism, says TCI
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 01 2024: Expressing utter shock at the third and gruesome violent attack and burning down of Michael Lamjathang's home at Peniel village in Churachandpur at around 12.20 pm on August 31, 2024 during the Kuki rally in the area, Thadou Community International (TCI) has decried that it was an act of terrorism.

The attacks carried out by suspected armed Kuki militants, in what appears to be a coordinated show of their power and evil supremacist agenda, happened only five days after the last attack on August 25 by around 30-armed miscreants suspected to be Kuki supremacist militants.

All these coordinated and targeted attacks should be treated as terrorism and dealt with accordingly, the TCI asserted in a statement.

It is utterly shocking how the attacks have happened with no punitive action taken on the perpetrators, it said before questioning if the law enforcing authorities are complicit with the perpetrators of the crime or have they been overruled by the criminals.

The involvement of ambitious and selfish politicians, Kuki militant groups and so-called civil society organisations operating in the local area cannot be ruled out.

The Government has to answer all these, it said.

"We consider the attack on Michael Lamjathang as an assault on the whole Thadou community and India's democracy and civilisation", the TCI asserted.

In view of the grave concerns caused by the attacks, which could turn into another communal or ethnic violence, Government authorities must take real and swift actions on the ground without any further delay to bring the perpetrators to justice and to prevent further violence, it said.

It is clear Michael is attacked for being a vocal and brave Thadou leader, while the attackers are motivated by hatred and intention to instil fear in the minds of the public, especially leaders and members of the Thadou community, to silence and subdue Thadou tribe in furthering Kuki supremacist agenda for selfish gains and political control, the TCI added.

"We would like to emphasize that Thadou is not Kuki or part of the fake Kuki tribe, and hence should not be forced to be.

Kuki was only an artificial make-up name of several constituent tribes, without which it is non-existent.

At best, Kuki is the 2003-manufactured fake Kuki tribe called Any Kuki tribes (AKT) having a population of 28,342 per the 2011 Manipur census", the TCI said.

"We urge all Thadous to come together and push back Kuki supremacist agenda through non-violent means in order to set ourselves free from the yoke of Kuki supremacy and control", it said.

"We would like to advise Kuki brethren to stop their anti-Thadou Kuki supremacist agenda and leave us peace-loving Thadous alone as we want to live peacefully and freely with a sense of dignity and pride in our culture and identity and in harmony with others on the principle of mutual respect, justice and mutual understanding.

We will not remain silent to the continued persecution, oppressions and attacks against Thadous but will continue to fight for justice and rights of the Thadou people", the TCI added.

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