Manipur: Meetei Council appeals to PM Modi for rehabilitation of displaced Moreh residents

The Meetei Council, Moreh, has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi where they have sought the rehabilitation of all persons who have been driven out of Moreh since 1991. The Meitei Council have also sought that no Kuki family should be allowed to settle in Moreh in the absence of such a rehabiliation. 

"The Council maintains a firm stance that all individuals compelled to leave Moreh should be not only resettled but also rehabilitated in their rightful place-Moreh. Pending the implementation of such resettlements, it is the Council's position that no Kuki family, including those currently residing in Moreh, should be permitted to continue their stay. The emphasis lies on the imperative need to restore a harmonious and inclusive coexistence among the various communities that form the fabric of Moreh's rich heritage," read the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister. 

In the memorandum signed by the organisation's general secretary L Brojendro Meetei, it has been stated that the town of Moreh was inhabited by Meeteis and other communities, but the influx of Kukis happened at a later stage. 

"The Council seeks to clarify the historical composition of Moreh, a border town established by the Meiteis, Tangkhuls, Tamils, Punjabis and Meitei Pangals. The influx of Kukis occurred later, with a significant portion being deemed illegal immigrants from Burma (Myanmar). The ethnic cleansing of the various communities from Moreh by the Kuki Militants and their supporters happened in the post 1991 period," said the statement.

The Meetei Council, in the memorandum, also claimed that Moreh experienced a largescale migration of Kukis from Myanmar in 1990 owing to the political instability and Myanmar and eventually these groups came into conflict with other ethnic groups.

"In May 1990, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi registered a landslide victory in Myanmar. However, the military junta refused to recognize it, and there was a large-scale mass protest; the military junta cracked down on the protestors, and thousands of Kuki tribes migrated illegally to Manipur and settled in Moreh. Chavangphai and Kanan Veng was formed by then. The Myanmar-based insurgent group KNO/KNA came along and started operating in Moreh with active support from some powerful Kuki politicians. An ethnic clash broke out between Naga and Kuki in 1992 in Moreh, and it immediately spread out all over the hill districts. The Kukis killed many Nagas and burned down their houses in Moreh. Most Nagas were forced to flee Moreh," stated the memorandum. 

The Meetei Council, through the memorandum, appealed to the PM, that the status of Moreh to the pre-1991 status and ensure that no Kuki family is allowed to settle in Moreh until the matter is resolved. 

"We, therefore seek the intervention of the Hon'ble Prime Minister for Government of India and Government of Manipur to ensure the restoration of the multicultural town of Moreh to the pre-1991 status. We request to direct the concerned authorities to take up appropriate measures for the return and rehabilitation of all those who had been driven out of Moreh since 1991. Also, we request for the identification and and deportation of all illegal migrants. In the absence of the return and rehabilitation of all those driven out of Moreh town by the Kuki militants and their supporters, no Kuki should be allowed to settle in Moreh," read the memorandum.