Manipur tribal body enforces shutdown on NH-37, serves ultimatum to Centre demanding release of arrested Kuki-Zo individuals

Apart from imposing a 15-hour total shutdown from 6 a.m. of October 3 till 9 p.m. on the same day as a mark of commemorating the fifth-month Manipur violence, the Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills Kangpokpi district imposed a total shutdown along the National Highway 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) road with effect from 4:00 pm of October 2 in connection with an alleged abduction of Kuki-Zo individuals by armed Meitei miscreants from New Keithelmanbi area on September 30.

According to CoTU Media Cell Coordinator, Ng. Lun Kipgen, on September 30 one Satthang Kipgen (52), son of Kamlun Kipgen of Bijang village in New Keithelmanbi area in Kangpokpi district was abducted by armed miscreants.

He said that the total shutdown has already been imposed along National Highway-37 in connection with the abduction of Satthang Kipgen and it will continue till the concerned authority expedites the release of the abducted man.

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The Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills Kangpokpi district also served a 48-hour ultimatum to the Union Home Ministry for the release of Kuki-Zo individuals including two minors arrested by the CBI and NIA on flimsy ground while cautioning that in case the Union Home Ministry failed to intervene and the arrested individuals are not released during the stipulated time, an indefinite total shutdown will be imposed in the entire Kangpokpi district from October 5.

CoTU's Media Cell Coordinator, Ng. Lun Kipgen said that we vehemently condemned the arbitrary approach and an attempt to bring one-sided justice in the state-sponsored communal conflict.

He continued that if arrests can be made with the flimsy ground of evidence such as IMEI of a mobile phone, why do the concerned authorities such as the CBI and NIA have to take time to investigate cases and arrest the culprits with video footage proof and social media evidence such as looting of arms and ammunition from the state armouries, the beheading of David Thiek, the parading naked of Kuki-Zo women and later gang-raped, the massacre of three Kuki-Zo individuals in Kangchup area, raping and murder of Florence Hangshing and Olivia Chongloi and burning of a minor boy along with his mother and aunty inside an ambulance.

Ng. Lun Kipgen further said that the arrest of one Seimunlun Gangte by the NIA on the pretext of Transnational Conspiracy is unacceptable as it is an ulterior motive to veer the arrest of one Moirangthem Anand, a PLA cadre who had been arrested several times on charge of Transnational Conspiracy.

He then said that as a citizen of India, we cannot accept biased and selective targets made against our community and therefore, we are compelled to serve a 48-hour ultimatum to the Union Home Ministry to instruct the central agencies such as the CBI and the NIA to release the Kuki-Zo individuals arrested on flimsy ground.

He also said that in case of non-intervention by the Union Home Ministry after the lapses of the ultimatum, there will be an indefinite total shutdown in the entire Sadar Hills Kangpokpi district with immediate effect from October 5.