Manipur violence: Meiteis, Kukis demand action from government

The organization blamed the government for failing to stop attacks...

On Friday the two prominent communities called as Meitei and Kuki in Manipur demand action from Bhartiya Janta Party government amid heightened violence which claimed over 200 people lives since the violence began from May 31 last year.

In Tengnoupal, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Imphal West districts, seven people, including two policemen have been killed and at least a dozen others, including three Border Security Force, have been injured in the recent clashes.

A team from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of Meitei groups, met chief minister N Biren Singh at his residence in Imphal and issued a warning to act against those responsible for killing civilians and security forces on Friday.

“There have been increased attacks on our people in Moreh and other places in the past few days. We discussed these in detail with the CM and demanded some visible action on the government’s part like targeting Chin-Kuki terrorists who are illegally bringing weapons from Myanmar,” said Jeetendra Ningomba, coordinator, COCOMI.

The organisation blamed the government for failing to stop attacks on security forces and civilians despite the presence of many security personnel from the state police, the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPS).

“It seems the Centre is not bothered about the situation in Manipur. We asked the CM to explain the ground situation to the central government so that it takes steps to end this violence. If they fail to do so, we will be forced to raise our voice or launch an agitation,” said Ningomba.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), an influential Kuki group, on Friday, on the other hand, accused the state government of supporting Meiteis and issued a warning.

Under ethnic violence in Manipur between the Meitei (which is in majority in Imphal Valley) and the Kuki-Zo communities (who are dominant in a few hill districts) since May last year. The violence has claimed at least 207 lives and displaced around 50,000.