A rally organised by the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur's Churachandpur on Monday.
It said the rally demanded that the central government expedite the process of finding a political solution to the violence in Manipur.
The protest began in the heart of Khwairamband Bazar, where a significant number of women vendors gathered early in the morning.
Undeterred, the women vendors regrouped at the market and staged a sit-in protest in front of their respective market sheds.
The women vendors also vehemently opposed the demand for a separate administration by the Kuki-Zo community, calling for the preservation of the unity and integrity of Manipur.
Thousands of protesters from the Kuki-Zo tribal community of Manipur organised rallies in four districts of the state on Monday seeking an end to the ongoing ethnic violence in the state and demanding creation of a ‘Union territory’ for their people. A rally organised by the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur's Churachandpur on Monday. (PTI)
Kuki apex bodies, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), submitted two separate memoranda to Union home minister Amit Shah to expedite a political solution for the Kuki-Zo community on Monday.
Get ready to catch the final stages of the World Cup only on Crickit. Anytime, Anywhere. Explore now!
Under the umbrella of the two Kuki apex bodies, mass rallies were organised in Manipur’s Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal and Pherzawl districts. The Kuki-Zo population is in majority in these districts
The rally organised by ITLF saw thousands of protestors from the community marching through the streets of Churachandpur district, demanding a political solution to end the year-long ethnic violence in Manipur.
Also Read | Manipur student body imposes prohibition of trade with Kuki-Zo community
In a statement issued by ITLF, the rally was also attended by Paolienlal Haokip, an MLA of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It said the rally demanded that the central government expedite the process of finding a political solution to the violence in Manipur. After more than a year of violence, there is no improvement in the security situation, it added.
In the memorandum submitted to the Union home minister, the two Kuki apex bodies demanded the immediate expedition of the long-pending political solution for the Kuki-Zo in the form of a Union Territory (UT) with legislature as envisaged under Article 239A of the Constitution of India.
The memorandum also said, “...almost 200 Kuki-Zo tribals have been killed and more than 7,000 homes destroyed, including places of worship. In fact, another 50 homes and shops belonging to Kuki-Zo tribals were burned down in the Jiribam district alone.”
Also Read | Himanta calls humanitarian aid for Manipur residents taken refuge in Assam
It further demanded the streamlining of all Kuki-Zo village volunteer forces into a proper military unit, the Kuki-Zo Regiment.
It also mentioned that for more than a year, the absence of a quality healthcare system in the hill districts, especially in areas predominantly occupied by the Kuki-Zo, and the blocking of medical supplies from the Imphal Valley towards Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, and Chandel, including Moreh town, have adversely affected the quality of life for the Kuki-Zo in these areas.
The Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley also saw a rally on Monday with women vendors of Khwairamband Ima Market under the banner of the “Khwairamband Ima Keithel Coordinating Committee for Peace”, taking to the streets to demand immediate parliamentary intervention to end the violence.
The protest began in the heart of Khwairamband Bazar, where a significant number of women vendors gathered early in the morning. Their initial plan was to march towards the Manipur Raj Bhawan and the Chief Minister’s Bungalow to press their demands.
However, their attempt was foiled by security forces, who intercepted the protest near the western gate of Kangla Fort and redirected the demonstrators back to Khwairamband Bazar.
Undeterred, the women vendors regrouped at the market and staged a sit-in protest in front of their respective market sheds. The women vendors also vehemently opposed the demand for a separate administration by the Kuki-Zo community, calling for the preservation of the unity and integrity of Manipur.
They also voiced their concerns over the reported plans for mass combing operations by security forces aimed at nabbing Meetei village volunteers.
Huirem Binodini, co-convenor of the Peace Committee, addressed the media during the protest and lamented the apparent silence of Manipur’s elected legislators on the state’s current turmoil. “Our representatives have failed to raise their voices for the people they are supposed to serve. Their silence is a grave disservice to the citizens of Manipur who are living in fear and uncertainty,” she said.
Binodini emphasised the critical need for parliamentary action to address and resolve the 14-month-long crisis. She even cautioned that the people of Manipur and the state itself will separate from India if the government fails to bring a solution to the ongoing Manipur crisis at the earliest possible.
