Guwahati: The Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), an apex body of the Kuki tribes, submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday, appealing for the safety and security of the Kuki-Zo people.
Among other issues, the KIM demanded the “unconditional release” of five individuals who were arrested this week during combing operations in Tamenglong and Kangpokpi districts.
A copy of the memorandum was also released to the media during a 12-hour total shutdown called by the KIM, with the support of other civil society organisations. The KIM termed the arrests “arbitrary and highly partial”, warning that it may trigger “protest movements that may be disruptive to effective enforcement of law and order in the region”.
The shutdown that began from 6 am Wednesday witnessed hundreds from the Kuki-Zo community gather for sit-in protests in the hill districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and also at Jiribam.
Carrying banners that read “Don’t deny us our humanity,” “We demand equal treatment”, “Arrest the Oppressors, Not the Victims”, people assembled at the Wall of Remembrance memorial in Tuibong of Churachandpur district, and at Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi district. A crowd of demonstrators squatted on the road at the border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal, demanding justice.
The Hill Tribal Council of Moreh appealed to the concerned authorities for “immediate and unconditional release” of the five youths arrested “while they were protecting their homestead”, a press statement issued by the organisation Tuesday mentioned.
Speaking to the media, Kaikholal Haokip, President of the Hill Tribal Council said, “We are protesting against the state police and security forces, mainly Assam Rifles, for atrocities against our people.”
A separate press statement issued by the Kuki-Zo Village Volunteers (KZVV) organisation of Vangalhaing and Tuilangkoul near Jiribam, condemned the incident of indiscriminate firing towards Phaitol village Monday, allegedly by Manipur police commandos. The KZVV said the firing resulted in “defensive retaliation” by village volunteers, which led to the arrest of the two Phaitol youth. The other three were arrested from L. Hengjol village in Kangpokpi the next day.
The Kuki Women’s Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) also issued a statement condemning the “atrocities against the villagers at Phaitol”, and alleged that Kuki-Zo womenfolk were “brutally assaulted” by security personnel during a combing operation by state police and central forces.
Speaking to ThePrint, a security official, however, said that due process was followed during the joint operation.
“People were obstructing the personnel from carrying out their duties. After repeated verbal warnings, tear-gas shells were used as the last means for crowd management. No one was physically assaulted,” the official said.
In a statement, the Manipur Police said that “security forces exercised maximum restraint in the conduct of the operation and acted in self-defence when they were fired upon by the armed militants and obstructed by the civilians”.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)