Manipur Govt's Pro-Meitei Measures are Stimulants for Separate Administration Demand

The demand for separate administration by the Kuki-Zo people is assuming more significance in the light of the partiality shown every now and then by the Government of Manipur. Such prejudices are evident again in the aftermath of the Moreh incident wherein a Meitei police officer was killed by unidentified gunmen. The antecedent of this police officer officer namely Chingtham Anand showed that he is involved in a rape case after which the victim committed suicide. The Biren Singh-led government called an emergency cabinet meeting the same day and announced certain benefits for the deceased police officer. Rs. 50 lakh as ex-gratia and a government job to the next of kin was announced. Contrary to this measure, the government maintained a stoic silence to the killing of Kuki police officer who also met his fate while on duty. In the eyes of the Manipur government, Kukis are children of a lesser god and their lives do not matter as much as the Meiteis’ do. This is a fact nobody can deny.

Another case that merits serious pondering is how CSOs from the valley and the hills are treated. The Manipur Cabinet in its meeting on 31st October approved to recommend for declaration of the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), as an unlawful association/organization under section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The decision was reached following a reported press release (although the WKZIC denied having issued the press release and said it was fabricated) on 24th Oct calling upon the Kuki-Zo community that during November, before the harvesting season, the community is likely to face another war; and urged the people to stock arms and ammunition to face any eventuality. The Manipur cabinet related the WKZIC press release and the Moreh incident and thereby arrived at a decision to recommend the declaration of the WKZIC as an unlawful organisation.

In June this year, Meitei secessionist outfits’ frontal organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in its people’s convention declared ‘Manipuri National War against Chin-Kukis’. It also decided that the Meitei people should not give up arms till the total annihilation of the Chin-Kuki people from the soil of Manipur. It is not the time to recover/collect arms which were earlier handed over to the Meitei militias (and said to be looted), rather, the government should arm the Meiteis to achieve the objective of obliterating the Kukis. The Meitei-dominated Manipur government turned blind to this precarious step taken by the Meitei CSOs right under its nose. However, it now acted swiftly against the Kuki-Zo body whose call (even if it did so) was way lesser in tone and tenor than the Meitei CSO did in June.

Despite various Kuki bodies including the apex Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) highlighting the matter and its possible ramifications to the Government of India, nothing has been done yet.

All these partialities have happened because it is a Meitei-dominated government led by a bigoted Meitei radical. These injustices and selective amnesia have necessitated a political solution for the Kuki-Zo community by way of a separate administration.