IPFM stated that the Assam Rifles could have prevented the arson and burning down of Meitei houses/villages on May 3, 2023 at Churachandpur, Moreh, and other places. It claimed that the Manipur Government reportedly sent several SoS to the Central Government for timely intervention and assistance.
TFM Report
Indigenous People’s Front Manipur (IPFM) on Tuesday claimed that around 70 armed cadres of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Myanmar, and a foreign non-SoO signatory militant outfit is stationed with the full knowledge of Assam Rifles at Haolenphai Village, around three Km from Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh. PDF is a foreign non-SoO signatory militant outfit.
IPFM in a set of written questions asked to the Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah during his visit to Manipur, asked him if he is aware of the fact that the PDF camp is stationed with the full knowledge of Assam Rifles.
IPFM also claimed that the armed Kuki National Army (KNA/KNO) is training the Myanmar based PDF cadres at Sahei Village and B Bongjang Village with full knowledge of the Assam Rifles.
Along with the information provided, IPFM also raised pertinent questions related to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur.
While asking the union home minister whether or not if he was aware of the fact that the present crisis in Manipur is the creation of Assam Rifles (AR) under IGAR (South), Mantripukhri, IPFM has alleged that SoO militants especially KNA/KNO, which is “a terrorist outfit of Myanmar”, have grown to a monstrous size and strength in Manipur under the protection Assam Rifles.
IPFM asked Amit Shah if he was aware that the frontal organisations of the Kuki SoO militant outfits have “become so arrogant that they have been aggressively attacking the majority community for a long time by claiming important religious, historical and protected sites besides reserve and protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries”.
The union home minister was also apprised of the fact that “more than half of the geographical area of Manipur” has been claimed as Kuki ancestral land which has been made possible by the support the Kuki Militant outfits, which have in turn become very confident as they have Assam Rifles as their protectors.
IPFM said that the area of Manipur “being 700 square miles is aggressively put forward to hurt the sentiments of the majority community”.
The front also alleged that that the Assam Rifles have allowed to Kuki SoO militant outfits to set up several camps outside their designated camps. The camps are even located in buildings in populated areas and have been in existence for a long time under the protection of Assam Rifles, alleged IPFM.
The front pointed out that Kuki National Army (KNA) set up its camp at Moreh Ward No.1 instead of staying put at Chilep, Tengnoupal District Headquarter while United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) set up its camp at S. Moljol Village, opposite to Chavangphai Assam Rifles Camp, Moreh town instead of staying at its designated camp at Chandel District (for UKLF).
While the camp of UKLF is at Moreh, “both the SoO bound outfits are freely moving in and around the Moreh with arms, extorting money from businessman and public as well as indulging in kidnapping and demanding ransom very frequently”, alleged IPFM. It added that UKLF is at the non-designated camp of Nazareth Village established by the Assam Rifles at Khambathel (around 1/2 km from Sugnu Bazar) instead of staying at its designated camp.
The front also asked if the union home minister was aware that “ethnicisation of trade” in Moreh is being facilitated by Assam Rifles reportedly favour Kukis at the expense of the other communities residing there.
IPFM also alleged that the Assam Rifles has created the conducive environment for “the inflow of Kuki immigrants from Myanmar and allowed illegal poppy cultivation in encroached areas”.
The front asked if Amit Shah had the knowledge that Kuki frontal organisation like the Kuki Students’ Organisation “physically brings in illegal Kuki migrants from Myanmar, their Aadhaar and other related identity documents are prepared by Autonomous District Council at the behest of the Hills Tribal Council, Moreh. It is more or less the same phenomena in other Kuki dominated districts of Manipur where different Kuki frontal organisations undertake the task, alleged the IPFM.
IPFM also stated that the Assam Rifles could have prevented the arson and burning down of Meitei houses/villages on May 3, 2023 at Churachandpur, Moreh, and other places. It claimed that the Manipur Government reportedly sent several SoS to the Central Government for timely intervention and assistance. “Why did not the concerned Ministry act on time? If this has happened, the violence could not have escalated to this scale”, said IPFM.
The front asked if the union home minister was aware that thousands of displaced Meiteis of Churachandpur, Moreh, Motbung, Ekou have no second home to fallback unlike the others who have been displaced from Imphal.
It pointed out that the current violent episode in Manipur “is narco-terrorism for creating a homeland led by Kuki SoO militant outfits funded by money from Poppy plantation, Opium manufacturing and drug smuggling”.