Biren Appeals Meiteis Not to Attack or Harass Nagas; Justifying the Rights to Kill or Torture Kukis

The chief architect of Manipur violence N. Biren Singh has once again shown his partisanship and nepotism to the world by urging the Meitei community to identify “friends and foes” in his speech at Nupee Lan Day Observation in Imphal.

Indicating the Kukis as the Meiteis’ enemy, the chief divider Biren Singh fervently appealed to the Meitei community not to attack or harass the Naga community, indirectly hinting that attacking and harassing Kukis was okay.

While mentioning the recent, two separate incidents of Tangkhul Naga men and Rongmei Naga women who were physically assaulted by Meitei goons, Biren Singh said that while checking vehicles passing-by, the vigilantes should not give harassment or resort to physical assault to any individuals if their identities reveal that they belong to Tangkhul or Rongmei Naga community. “Don’t try to bring more havoc to the existing violence. Try to identify our friends and foes,” he said.

An analysis of his speech only validates his deep involvement in the state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom on the minority Kuki-Zo community in Manipur and also his continued hatred towards the community. The partisanship and prejudicial leadership of Biren Singh strengthens the need for “separate administration” of the Kuki-Zo people.

The Chief Architect of Manipur violence, Chief Minister N Biren Singh also took strong exception to Mizoram’s new CM Mr. Lalduhoma’s comments and said his remarks were beyond his constitutional rights.

During his speech, N Biren Singh also urged the newly elected Chief Minister of Mizoram not to interfere in the internal matter of Manipur but rather extend support in restoring peace in the state.

“Unfortunately, the newly-elected chief minister of Mizoram has commented that Manipur police shouldn’t harass people at Moreh. His remark is beyond the constitution because it is an internal matter of the Manipur state government,” said CM Biren Singh while speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the Nupi Lal Numit 2023 observation in Imphal.

Singh, in his reaction, also said the new Mizoram CM did not know the ground situation at Moreh. The border town is home to diverse communities, including Meiteis, Meitei Pangals, Tamil, Kukis, Thadou etc, so the place cannot be a one community area, he added.

It needs to be pointed out here that it is rather him, the Manipur CM, who is either ignorant or connived in deliberately ignoring the ground realities. The deployment of State Commandos in Moreh has done more harm than good to the locals. There have been many instances of locals being harassed by the State Commandos on the pretext of frisking and combing operations.

Since the outbreak of violence in the state, the State Commandos have been acting proactively against its own people, whom they are supposed to protect. The state police atrocities on innocent civilians of Moreh in the aftermath of the killing of SDPO Anand is a well-known fact, accompanied by their harassing and ransacking of properties. This fact was corroborated by Tengnoupal district Superintendent of Police Luikham Lanmiyo’s statement. The SP said that some cases of harassment and ransacking of properties have been reported. “But no incidents of molestation of women have happened.” All these facts were pointed out by the new Mizoram Chief Minister which the Meitei CM Biren considered as an opprobrium or disgrace.

Citing one of the comments expressed by the newly elected chief minister of Mizoram, N Biren Singh appealed to his neighbouring counterpart to lend his support in returning normalcy in Manipur instead of expressing views which is beyond his constitutional obligation.

Here, Biren should know that “Blood is thicker than water”. While he has abdicated his responsibility to guarantee the safety and security of the Zo ethnic people living in the geographical boundary of Manipur, their blood-brothers’ leaders in the neighbouring state have come to their rescue. Chief Minister of Mizoram Lalduhoma is neither interfering in the internal matter of Manipur nor violating his constitutional obligation, but raising his voice for the oppressed Zonakthlak (Chin-Kuki-Mizo).

It is known to the world and Mr. Lalduhoma is right in saying that Manipur is not the sole property of the Meiteis. The Hill areas of Manipur are the ancestral lands of the tribals and Meiteis’ Maharajas too had no control over the hills in the past.