Security Forces' High-Handedness Continues in Jiribam; Essential Food Supplies for IDPS Destroyed

In the guise of combing operation in the Kuki areas of Jiribam, a combined team of Central Security Forces and communal Meitei Police aggressively invaded Mongbung Relief Centre and ruthlessly destroyed/dispersed all the essential supplies intended for the internally displaced persons.

Food items such as rice, dal, edible oils, salt, peas, vegetables, etc., stocked at the relief centre were scattered on the floor, leaving unsafe for human consumption. This abhorrent act of prejudice is not only against the Kuki people but also human rights abuse perpetrated by the so-called law enforcement agencies.

The security forces’ high-handedness, abuse of power and their deplorable act of discrimination against the Kuki people is unacceptable, intolerable, that demands condemnable in the strongest term. It is also a violation of a Fundamental Rights to livelihood.

Serious questions thus arise: What wrong have the vegetables, rice and onions done against the Security Forces? Do essential items for IDPs now have ethnicity in Manipur? All the perpetrators of this destruction must be held responsible for the damages done to property and essential food supplies.

As per the communal Meitei Police source, the search operation was conducted on Wednesday at around 8.30 AM at Mongbung village, Jiribam,  comprising District Police, Jiribam led by Shri. M. Pradip Singh IPS, Sr. Superintendent of Police; a team of JBM-PS led by Inspector S. Ibotombi Singh, OC/JBM-PS; SI. K. Romendro Singh; ASI Ibomcha Soibam; a team of Special Mobile

Patrol Unit, Jiribam led by SI. A. Krishna Sharma, in- Charge, Special Mobile Patrol Unit, Jiribam; troops of 39 Assam Rifles led by Colonel Akash Kumar, CO/39 Assam Rifles, Kadamtala; troops of 87 Bn. CRPF led by Tapan Kumar, Commandant 87Bn CRPF; Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Commandat 87 Bn. CRPF and one platoon of 20 Bn. CRPF led by Yogesh Kumar, Deputy Commandant of Dett-20 Bn, CRPF and Inspt. Brajendra Pratap Singh of F- 20 Bn. CRPF.

The irony of Manipur violence is that combing operations were conducted only in Kuki areas while illegal Meitei armed militias in the Meitei-dominated districts roam freely brandishing sophisticated weapons. Arambai Tenggol’s chief, Korounganba Khuman, who was responsible for looting hundreds of arms and ammunition from Police armouries and was booked under NIA Act, still faces impunity from the security forces, while Kuki innocent volunteers were arrested.

While AFSPA is lifted in the valley where it is most needed and it is enforced in the Hill district where it is least required.

The undeniable ground reality is that Manipur is in a situation of civil war between the minority Kukis and majority Meiteis, patronised and sponsored by N. Biren Singh-led majoritarian government. At this defining moment, the role of central security forces is highly pivotal in protecting the Kuki minorities for their safety and security. As true Indian citizens, the Kukis’ fundamental rights need to be protected at all costs.