Entire Lamka District Totally Blacked Out Suspiciously by Members of Majority Community

The entire Lamka district has been intentionally or accidentally plunged into darkness suspiciously by members of the Meitei community. Over the past 24 hours, the populace of Lamka (Churachandpur) has been without electricity, and there has been no official communication from the relevant department regarding the outage duration.

According to information circulating on social media platforms, a problem, possibly a malfunctioning disc, occurred in the 132 KV line connecting the Meitei-dominated locality of Ningthoukhong to the Kuki-Zo district of Churachandpur (Lamka), near the Meitei village of Phubala, situated in the buffer zone between the two conflicting communities.

Reports suggest that a team from the Manipur State Power Corporation Limited (MSPCL) in Imphal was denied entry by Border Security Forces and State forces today. The restoration of the power line is contingent on adequate security clearance. If these reports hold true, it raises serious questions about the role of security forces and the negligence of the concerned department, subjecting the entire Lamka district to immense hardship and potential human rights violations.

This blackout of Lamka residents is not an isolated incident since the outbreak of violence on May 3. Numerous instances of power supply disruptions by the majority Meiteis had been reported. The ill-treatment of the Kuki-Zo community by the Meitei community continues unabated and in this current situation, the deliberate disruption of power cannot be ruled out, potentially orchestrated by the communal Meiteis in collaboration with the power corporation.

As a consequence of the complete power outage, mobile network towers in Lamka district are severely impacted, leading to network problems and the disruption of information flow. Such inhuman treatment of the Kukis, by denying basic electricity, is totally against all norms of the civilised conduct. If such denial of facilities were to happen to Meiteis, the Meitei government would have done everything in its power to restore the same, but unfortunately for the Meiteis, the Kukis are lesser humans, and are always treated as second class citizens of India.

The fundamental and legal rights of the Kuki-Zos have been repeatedly violated by the State government under the leadership of N. Biren Singh. Beyond dehumanizing minority communities, their rights have been curtailed, prompting demands for a separate administration from Manipur. It is imperative for the Centre to recognize the distinct ethnic communities who are completely separared, and formalize political and administrative separation without delay.