Manipur: Kuki-Zo women protest against withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Kangpokpi

Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women in Kangpokpi Town staged a protest today, September 11 in front of the 22 Assam Rifles Post, blocking the withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the area. 

The protest comes after a public meeting on September 9 at Brig. M. Thomas Ground, where the Kuki-Zo community unanimously decided to seal all Assam Rifles camps in Kangpokpi district if the Centre did not reconsider its decision to replace the Assam Rifles with the CRPF.

The women gathered at the Bais Bahadur 22 Assam Rifles Post upon learning that the paramilitary forces would be withdrawn today.

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Robi Khongsai, one of the protestors, stated that the Assam Rifles have been the only neutral force in their efforts to protect lives during ongoing ethnic conflicts. She highlighted the Assam Rifles’ unique capability to handle insurgents, unlike other central security forces, and warned that violence could escalate if the forces were withdrawn.

Expressing deep concern over the planned removal of the 9th and 22nd Battalions of Assam Rifles from conflict zones in Kangpokpi, Khongsai detailed the community’s insecurities and potential consequences of this decision on the region's ethnic conflicts. Rejecting the proposed relocation of the Assam Rifles, she emphasized that any replacement by other security forces would be unacceptable to the community, regardless of intentions.

Khongsai urged the Prime Minister to instruct the Ministry of Home Affairs to reconsider the withdrawal, stressing that the continued presence of the Assam Rifles is crucial for maintaining security and preventing further violence in the conflict-affected region.