Manipur: Kuki-Zo frontline workers refuse to discharge duties at bunkers

Imphal: In the “twist of events” amidst the ongoing ethnic violence, a significant number of frontline workers retreated from the buffer zones and unknown miscreants ransacked the office of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur district headquarters in the past 48 hours, official sources said here on Monday.

Destroying properties that belong to the ITLF, one of the apex bodies of the Kuki-Zo community came a day after several Kuki Village volunteers eschewed the path of violence and returned to their homesteads from the hot spots in the tri districts of Churachandpur-Kakching and Bishnupur in the state.

In a dramatic turn, on Sunday night, the office of the ITLF in Churachanpdur was ransacked by unknown miscreants.

Properties including documents from the office, computers, and furniture were destroyed.

Reports said that the ITLF office was targeted following tension between the tribal communities belonging to the Paites and Zo.

Dissatisfied with the actions of CSO leaders who are trying their best to create Kukiland to be carved out from the state of Manipur, the Kuki-Zo village volunteers at the frontlines near buffer zones at Chandel, Bishnpur, and Churachandpur went back to their homes instead of performing duties at bunkers.

Some Kuki-Zo village volunteers in buffer zones of Churachandpur district are very much displeased with the actions of CSO leaders who are shouldering responsibility in the ethnic clash with the Meities since May 3, 2023.

The clashes that started in Chrurachanpdur district having killed and also expelled the Meities from the same district on the first day of the clash have cost the lives of over 222 individuals and over 60, 000 people taking shelters at different relief camps opened across the state at present.