Kangpokpi’s Kuki-Zo Tribal Body Demands Additional Central Security Forces in Peripheral Areas

The top Kuki-Zo tribal body in Kangpokpi, the Committee on Tribal Unity, or the CoTU, Sadar Hills urged the Central Government for additional central security forces to man all areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo community, especially in the peripheral area following the attack and torching of houses in the Kuki-Zo Maphou dam village.

The committee alleged that on January 18 evening, residential houses and properties belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were razed to ashes by armed meitei militants.

The committee stated that Maphou Dam is the village of the country’s martyr (L) Paotinsat Guite alias Sasat Guite, a Sub-Inspector of BSF, 59th Battalion who gave his life defending the country in Jammu, today the people he defended from foreign aggression burnt the remaining houses of his village Maphou.

The committee also condemned the alleged unethical and bias reporting of the valley-based media in connection with the incident.

It alleged that even in an incidence of attack or aggression by the majoritarian Meitei against the minority Kuki-Zo, the valley-based media always points the Kuki-Zo community to be the perpetrator and wondered as to how the Kuki-Zo populace would attack their own villages. It is common sense to understand that peace always prevails until shattered by armed meitei militants donning state police uniforms and carrying sophisticated weapons looted from state armouries including vehicles and logistics.

The Committee thus urged the Central Government to arrange for additional central security forces to man all areas dominated by the Kuki-Zo community, especially along the prone bordering areas such as the Phailengmol Area while urging to uphold the Union Home Minister’s instruction of maintaining security in the hill areas by the central security forces and the valley to be left upon the state security forces.