Manipur violence: Kuki protestors demands Central government to take immediate action against CM Biren Singh

Seeking the Central Government's immediate intervention, thousands of Kuki protestors on May 24 at Saparmeina village reiterated not to propagate peace before a solution.

A sit-in protest was held today in Saparmeina village in Kangpokpi district after a similar protest was held at Kangpokpi town and Keithelmanbi village seeking immediate Central Government intervention with a solution based on the political dialogue between the UPF and KNO and the Governments.

Sticking firm with the unanimous stance of the Kukis, "solution first, peace next" a thousand protestors strongly urged the Government and its machinery not to talk or initiate any peace process before any solution arrived.

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Braving the heavy shower, men and women, young and old, lined up along the National Highway-2 and shouted the slogan, "We want central government immediate intervention" while displaying various pamphlets.

K. Sitlhou, Spokespersons of the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills who organized the sit-in protest said that Chief Minister N. Biren Singh once again annihilated the confidence of the Kuki people barely a day after he had admitted his security and intelligence failure, a fresh violence erupted at the heart of the capital city by torching a Church followed by burning down a few houses in Churachandpur.

"How can we have faith in such governance when even the chief minister could not stick to its own assurance", he added.

He continued that as we have already lost faith in the N. Biren Singh-led Manipur Government, there is no turning back to live with the valley people.

So, the Central Government must immediately intervene with a solution for peace and for that matter the sooner the earlier for restoring peace lies in the court of the Central Government, he asserted.

Vehemently slamming the N. Biren Singh-led Manipur Government, the COTU Spokespersons, K. Sitlhou said that for the past many decades, we lived peacefully without any tension with our valley brethren, but, under the leadership of N. Biren Singh as the state Chief Minister, Manipur witnessed one of its worst communal irreparable tensions.

"There was no violence, fight, or any other communal tensions between the valley dwellers and the tribals in the past, nevertheless, under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh government violence and fight erupted at the highest level", he asserted.

He then sought the Central Government intervention for immediate action against Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribals Unity Sadar Hills also expressed their deep disappointment over a cabinet minister who reportedly called for an end to the economic blockade along the National Highway.

Responding to the call of the minister, COTU Secretary, L. Singsit said that there is no economic blockade imposed by the committee or any other organizations, it was the people's voluntary act of resorting to the blockade of the highway since violence erupted on May 3.

He continued that the mobs are beyond the control of the committee and any other organizations while appealing to the minister to come personally and convince the mobs for ending the blockade.

The committee secretary while expressing discontentment over the tribal minister's appeal or call for ending the blockade, said that the tribal minister's appeal or call further hurt the sentiment of its tribal fellow as the call came when the tribal Kukis are subjugated at the maximum.

"We have never expected or even dreamt that such a call or appeal would come from our tribal minister at this juncture when we are crying, and living painfully", he added.

He then urged the tribal minister not to make such a call or appeal in future which could hurt the sentiment of his fellow tribal people under any circumstances.

He also said that by ending the blockade the crisis in the state will neither escalate nor subside but it will project in the wrong narrative that normalcy has been restored when in fact, nothing has been normalized.

An internally displaced woman, who joined the sit-in protest said while questioning the credibility of the Manipur Police Commando that, they took an oath to safeguard and protect the citizens, but, why are they using their uniform and weapons to attack, kill, and burnt down the houses of its own people.

She also recalled that the volunteer of the Arambai Tenggol, and the Meitei Leepun could easily commit such heinous crimes under the protection and shield of the Manipur state police commando.

She then urged the central government to immediately intervene to stop such an intimidating act and also come up with a solution to save the future of the tribal Kuki.