Protests erupted on September 7 in Motbung Model Village, Kangpokpi, led by the Kuki-Zo community under the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) Sadar Hills, against the removal of the 9th and 22nd Assam Rifles from Kuki-Zo-dominated areas. The committee argues that these battalions, crucial in protecting the Kuki-Zo community, were removed arbitrarily to appease the Meitei community.
Hundreds of Kuki-Zo demonstrators, primarily women, participated in a peaceful sit-in, chanting slogans like “Don’t Remove Assam Rifles” and “We Demand Union Territory,” highlighting their belief that regional safety is tied to the Assam Rifles’ presence. Ng. Lun Kipgen, CoTU spokesperson, attributed recent violence in fringe areas to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to appease Meitei groups by removing the Assam Rifles. This decision coincided with an audio leak allegedly featuring Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh admitting to violence against the Kuki-Zo community.
The Committee also criticized the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) for allegedly playing a key role in the battalions’ removal by claiming partiality towards the Kuki-Zo. The Assam Rifles have been instrumental in countering violent militias threatening Kuki-Zo volunteers defending their hill regions, stated the Kuki-Zo leadership.
The community has called for a mass fasting prayer on Sunday in churches across Sadar Hills, followed by a massive rally on Monday, aiming to intensify their agitation if the central government does not reverse the order. A Kuki-Zo women’s leader pleaded with the Union Home Minister to reconsider the decision, underscoring that the lives and safety of the Kuki-Zo people depend on the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Committee urged the Government of India to recognize the complex governance dynamics in Manipur and called for Union Territory status under Article 239A as a path to lasting peace. They demanded immediate reinstatement of the Assam Rifles in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi and the establishment of buffer zones between Kuki-Zo and Meitei areas. Failure to address their demands, including an investigation into the leaked audio involving N. Biren Singh, could escalate their protests, holding the Ministry of Home Affairs accountable for any further unrest.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/manipur/video/manipur-kuki-zo-community-protests-removal-of-assam-rifles-mass-agitation-planned-1088263-2024-09-08?utm_source=rssfeed
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