Manipur: Kuki groups condemn FIR against ITLF, reiterate demand for separate admin

Guwahati: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) on Saturday condemned an FIR lodged by Manipur police against ITLF general secretary Muan Tombing charging him of an attempt to wage a war against the government by making a statement for forming a “separate administration” for the Kuki-dominated districts.

Reacting to the FIR against the ITLF leader, the CoTU said it was an attempt to subdue the Kuki-Zo movement by misuse of laws.

“Such frequent misuse of the law will only worsen the existing communal tensions, and will further tarnish the sanctity of the law courts in Manipur. Therefore, the Supreme Court, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Schedule Tribes, and other Constitutional bodies must intervene to deter such fallacious moves against the minorities,” a statement of CoTU media cell stated here.

“In a recent press statement, the COCOMI quoted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's statement that a large influx of immigrants led to the present crisis in Manipur. Jaishankar should be alarmed that an Indian Aadhar card bearing the name of one Moirangthem Premananda, with flags and combat dresses of banned Meitei extremist organisations, is found in a Military Junta camp in Tamu district of Myanmar,” it said.

“The External Affairs Minister and the Union Home Minister should also be alarmed by the repeated cross-border attacks on the Indian Army in Manipur by such unlawful Meitei groups based in Myanmar. These secessionist groups based in Myanmar are often provided illegal entry by state actors to unleash untold sufferings amongst the Kuki-Zo people,” it added.

Reacting sharply to the FIR, ITLF spokesperson Ginja Vualzong said: “A separate administration from the ‘Meitei government’ has always been our demand since the ethnic clash erupted between Kuki and Meiteis on May 3. We have also made it clear that any political solution should come under the constitution of India, Therefore, the charges of sedition and conspiring to wage war against the Indian government are baseless.”

Earlier also, police filed FIR against ITLF chairperson and spokesperson in an attempt to silence the voice of the tribal movement,” Ginza said.

Explaining the factors why the Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities have been demanding separation from Manipur, Ginza said innocent Kuki-Zo-Hmar civilians were butchered in Meitei-dominated areas including the capital and those that survived have been chased out with no possibility of going back. We have been called illegal immigrants and Meitei civil society declared war on us. The state government and the police have openly sided with the Meitei community, with commandos leading attacks on tribal villages.”

He said even NGOs in the field of development, aided by the chief minister are trying to siphon off funds meant for tribal development.

“In the most recent case on October 23, the chief minister requested the Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda to approve six projects worth over crores of rupees to Meitei NGOs based in Imphal. None of them worked for tribal welfare. The state education minister told a Meitei activist that he would remove a chapter on the Kuki from the school book, an obvious attempt to erase tribal history,” he said.

He alleged that tribal government employees and MLAs can’t even reach Imphal and are unable to perform their duties for their constituencies.

“We have not received from the state government, even Central government aid like food and other essential items are routed through neighbouring Mizoram as Meitei mobs don’t allow any material to reach tribal areas. Tribals no longer have access to highway linking us to the country’s rail corridor and the airport,” he also said.

“Since we don’t know when the central government will complete the mechanism for a separate administration for Kuki-Zo tribals, we need a separate secretariat in the interim so that our government servants and lawmakers can continue working for their people,” he added.