In a ‘discussion hour’ talk show on 29th October 2023 by Imphal based media channel ISTV on the question, “Will the conflict end if Kukis stop attacking?” host Mr. Mayengbam Somorjit Meitei and his panelists Mr. Khwairakpam Robin and Mr. Laishram Meetei discussed on various issues regarding the ongoing conflict in Manipur.
The host Sanajaoba, a reporter of the news outlet, posed the question to Mr Robin, an Arambai Tenggol leader, and also enquired as to the circumstances where the conflict would see its end. The question in itself is antithetical. The fact of the matter is, the Kuki community to this day have been the defenders of their own lives and villages as opposed to the claims made by the panelists and proven by the fact that there has been no report of Meitei deaths within the towns of Lamka, Kanggui and other Kuki-Zo dominated areas, while hundreds of our brethren are killed, raped, dismembered and burnt and properties worth tens of crores are looted from Kuki-Zo residences in the imphal valley. There are instances like the beheading and dismembering of David Thiek at Langza, his own village. Each and every attack has been initiated and carried out by the majority Meitei community upon instigation by certain individuals like the self-styled C-in-C of Arambai Tenggol Mr. Korounganba Khuman, the Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh, the state CM Biren Singh and the patron of Arambai Tenggol, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba.
“This war is started by the Kukis, all attacks are carried out by the Kukis. All the Meiteis do is defend our Kangleipak and our people, we have not done any offensive action till now,” said Mr Robin. “And the solution for any war is a political dialogue.” he added. It should be noted that almost, if not all, of Meitei deaths occurred at buffer zones which separate the two communities geographically, separation being by their own acts. The claim that they are village volunteers and defenders seems a little too convenient given how residents from Imphal and surrounding areas ended up getting killed in retaliatory fire at places along the buffer zones, far away from their own localities. This is enough for any neutral and right thinking mind to understand who the real attackers are. Robin also emphasized on the Kuki-Zo community’s demand for a separate administration supported by all 10 MLAs from the community, saying that such demands came up recently but the plan has been in place for a fairly long time. He went on to say that “The war will not end yet. Separate administration is the only solution they say, then Unbreakable integrity is the only solution for Meitei.” Robin seems to be ignorant of the reasons why the demand for such separation came up amongst the Kuki-Zo. It must be remembered that during the initial days, after instigating violence at Torbung village in Lamka district, the majority Meiteis in imphal valley responded to a fake news of rape and murder and began to kill, rape, burn and chase away each and every Kuki-Zo. They looted and burnt houses and properties of the Kuki-Zo community residing in the capital city. The manner of the exodus, the violence and atrocities meted out to the tribals clearly shows no sign of reconciliation in the near future. There is an evident threat of life and property in mingling with the Meitei community which only leaves the Kuki-Zo with one option, which is SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION. This demand is not a choice but rather a necessity for the survival of the community.
“Meitei has not begun to wage war yet, we are still preparing and we will surely wage war,” he added, which then raises the questions; who are these people who have incessantly attacked the tribal lands beyond the 700 sq.km Kangleipak? How much more atrocities (after rape, burning, looting, killing, beheading and dismembering amongst others) do the Meitei community plan to commit on the Kuki-Zo community? What is the government’s plan of action on such threats of war in an open and public discussion platform?
Disregarding and belittling the call for peace and solution through political talks by a section of the Meitei community, social activist Mr. Laishram Romesh (also wilfully ignorant) claimed that the war was started by the Kuki-Zo community. “Their demand for separate administration has not been withdrawn yet. Even with presence of a government, we have not been able to reach Moreh, we cannot administer Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. National highways are constantly blocked. So the war is not over, the war rather has not begun.” Romesh said. He also went further to say that the war could have ended by the next day itself had they made better security arrangements. “Our enemy this time is not just the Kukis,” he added, referring to the central security forces as other elements amongst their enemy and mildly accusing a collusion of central forces with the Kuki-Zo community. Mr. Laishram here, intentionally ignored the fact that it is the Meitei “Volunteers” who travelled the length and breadth of 700 sq.km Kangleipak to administer a reign of terror and violence wherever they set foot on, from Gamgiphai in the north to Torbung in the south, Moreh in the east to Jiri in the West. Mr. Robin, commander of Arambai Tenggol, Sekmai Unit, also a panelist of the discussion, clearly mentioned his involvement in each and every firing incident within the state. “We have been to each and every place where firing has occurred, I was there on the first day at Torbung.” Now, why is a local of Sekmai present at a place some 50-60 kms away on 3rd May, unless he knew what was to happen? Can it then be concluded that they have always been the attacker in contrast to their claim of being a village defense volunteer?
Denying the claim of CM Biren over the return of peace and normalcy in Manipur and his appeal to the public to celebrate festivals like Ningol Chakkouba etc., Romesh said, “For peace to come in Manipur, Kuki Millitants must withdraw their demand for separate administration, or for us to have full control over administration of every district, and for us to be able to settle in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. Only then can we say there is peace and normalcy, until then we will not surrender our weapons and will not stop preparing for war.” The majority Meitei community are not willing to part with their looted weapons, they still aim to control all of the state, control all administrative machineries, claim all tribal lands and expect a total submission of Kuki-Zo community to their whims and fancies, which any human including themselves will not be ready for. It also hinders any and all process of peaceful solution in the near future and pose a constant threat of war and violence to the tribal groups.
“Manipur is a beautiful place, you need to go through Manipur and Moreh to reach the southeast Asian countries and the mainland Indians wants to take it away from us, so they are now using these tribal, foolish and dog-like creatures called the Kukis to first snatch our land from us, later on they can easily take it over from these fools and create a MayangPur (mayang - a derogatory term for non-manipuri Hindus settling within the state),” said Mr. Robin, who believes that this conflict is part of a rather grander scheme of mainland Hindus. Speaking further he said, “It’s not the Kukis I’m scared of, it’s for the future generation when we’d be taken over by the mainland mayangs. Kukis are nothing. Stay away from Kuki area dear Assam Rifles and Indian army, don’t raise arms against us and I will finish the Kukis in a week.” Here, the Meitei mindset for total anihilation of the Kukis from the soil of Manipur is clearly evident. He expressed the whole insane Meiteis’ desires, from top to bottom under the leadership of Biren Singh and their titular king Sanajaoba, to cleanse Kukis ethnically. However, the Arambai leader should not forget the Khamenlok incident where vast number of their comrades perished in the absence of centre security forces.
“The war will not end, however long it may take, until Kukis withdraw their demand for separate administration, and it should be the aim of every Meitei to chase all Kukis from Manipur to their origin. And further if the Kukis are willing to apologize for everything that has happened and beg us to go back to the good days of peace, only then will we think of discussing the matter of peace and there is no other solution.” is the conclusion the panelist came to.
Playing the blame game; altering facts and figures; distorting the chronology of events and putting up one-sided stories; accusing the other party of each and every act committed; changing narratives as per their communal motives’ demand; calling out names and labelling a whole community as narco-terrorists, illegal immigrants, etc., suiting their narrative; instigating hatred for a certain community into the minds of the innocent and third party neutrals to legitimize the ethnic cleansing pogrom; to brainwash every Meitei mind into believing their lies and deceit to garner support for what they are still preparing for – a WAR against the Kuki-Zo community - is what they capitalise upon in the present scenario. In any case, the Kuki-Zo community would not be backed down but to fight back till ‘separate administration’ is acheived.
Thingkho Le Malcha (TLM) is a traditional method of communication used to send out messages across the Kuki hills during the Anglo-Kuki War,1917-1919... more
If you would like to received a free softcopy of Thingkho le Malcha, you can follow our Whatsapp and Telegram by clicking the below links.
For any other media related you can contact us using below email