Manipur: Kuki-Zo tribal body urges Home Minister to halt arms supply to radicalized Meitei police

The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), the top tribal body of Kangpokpi chapter representing the Kuki-Zo community, has urgently called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and prevent the issuance of additional arms and ammunition to radicalized Meitei police personnel.

The plea from CoTU comes in response to a recent requisition request by Th. Krishnatombi Singh, an officer in charge of a Special Commando Unit within the Manipur Police, seeking a significant quantity of live rounds for various weapons, including 7.62 LMG, INSAS, AK-47, Mortar rounds, and .303 ammunition.

Expressing concern over the potential consequences of such an issuance, CoTU highlighted the alleged atrocities committed by Meitei police commandos against Kuki-Zo civilians. The tribal body emphasized that providing additional ammunition poses a serious threat to the already vulnerable Kuki-Zo community.

CoTU raised alarms about the historical collaboration between radicalized Meitei militias and the police, emphasizing that the weapons issued could potentially fall into the wrong hands, worsening the ongoing state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom against the Kuki-Zo community.

In their statement, CoTU revealed that a significant cache of weapons and ammunition previously seized by Meitei militias, in collaboration with Meitei police, is yet to be recovered. The tribal body criticized the state administration's lack of efforts in retrieving these looted arms and ammunition.

"This move to obtain more ammunition, especially considering the collusion between radicalized Meitei militias and the police, lacks any logical explanation unless it is intended to further harm the Kuki-Zo community," stated CoTU.

The tribal body also drew attention to documented evidence of armed Meitei militants freely roaming the Imphal valley in police uniforms, alleging their involvement in targeted attacks against the Kuki-Zo community.

Appealing directly to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CoTU urged immediate intervention to halt the process of issuing additional arms and ammunition, emphasizing the potential threat not only to the Kuki-Zo community but also to national security.