Manipur Coordination Committee (Delhi) also claimed that “narco-terrorism” is a huge threat to national security and there are enough evidence of the involvement of armed militants from across the border.
TFM Report
Over a thousand members of the Delhi based Meitei community on Sunday called for a return to peace and normalcy in Manipur already rocked by ethnic violence for the last one month. Holding a peace demonstration held at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, the participants also unequivocally condemned divisive politics allegedly instigated by few politicians and elite leadership representing the Chin-Kuki-Zo community with the support of armed militants and miscreants.
The rally held under the banner of Manipur Coordination Committee (Delhi), a conglomerate of Manipur CSOs and student organizations of Delhi suggested some points for the Government of India’s perusal, said a press released issued on the occasion released by committee.
Bring back peace & harmony in Manipur
Central and State Government in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier assured to all citizens of Manipur that they would ensure normalcy to return in the state and the perpetrators of violence will be brought to justice. Central and State forces have started conducting massive combing operations in both valley and the foot-hill areas to find the miscreants, and appealed to repose their faith in the actions to be initiated by the Government of India, said the Committee.
Set the facts right against fake news/false propaganda
The committee has also alleged that that since the commencement of the violence in Manipur from May 3, there have been a lot of fake-news and false propaganda being circulated in social media, national and international media about Meiteis in valley districts “killing and burning down of tribal villages and homes”. “Whereas in the ensuing violence, both sides have suffered massive violence and loss of lives and such fake-news still circulating in the social media are only aggravating the situation and is becoming a hurdle in bringing back normalcy which have resulted in creating a big division amongst people from both communities”.
Stop Illegal infiltration from Myanmar
Manipur Coordination Committee (Delhi) also claimed that Kuki-Chin-Zo population of Myanmar and India, if put together, outnumbers any indigenous population of Manipur. “The uninterrupted migration across the border have led to unnatural surge of Kuki-Chin-Zo population, thus leading to huge demographic imbalances. During the Indian census of 1951 and 2011, the number of Kuki population has risen from 80,002 to 4,48,532. The unnatural growth of Kuki population has jump to 5 times the population. The unnatural growth is due to illegal immigration and it has been going on for many decades and it is mainly attributed to the long term conflict in Myanmar and the Kuki Chin population spread largely around the porous border of India Myanmar border along Manipur, Mizoram upto Bangladesh”. said the committee.
Imperative of implementing NRC as assured by Union Minister
As assured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) during his recent visit to Manipur, there is a “necessity to identify all foreigners who entered Manipur after 1951. Implementation of the NRC in Manipur as envisaged for other parts of the Indian Union and institution of State Population Commission should now be on the Government of India’s top agenda”, asserted the Manipur Coordination Committee (Delhi).
Ecological threat and challenges due to Poppy Plantation
The committee also said that every informed citizens know that poppy plantation is and has been a huge threat to all humanity and Manipur. Northeastern states have been a victim of it environmentally and ecologically. “The scale of poppy cultivation in Manipur has spread across 15,497 acres of land in the hills between 2017 and 2023, according to data from the states special anti-drugs unit, Narcotics and Affairs if Border (NAB). Of the 15,497 acres of land where poppy cultivation was found in the past five years,13,122 acres was found in the past five years were in the Kuki-Chin dominated areas. It is also a known fact that most poppy plantations are supervised by armed miscreants from across the Indo-Myanmar border who have amassed massive profit out of illegal poppy plantations and drugs smuggling”, pointed out the committee.
The committee informed that the current situation is likely to cause further ecological imbalance leading to massive deforestation, irregular rainfalls, muddy flash-floods, rise of temperature due to which the state is facing huge challenge in disaster management since the last decade. Poppy Plantation and ecological threats is affecting not just Manipur but the entire Northeast and the country at large, claimed the Manipur Coordination Committee (Delhi).
Narco Terrorism and underlying nexus
The committee also said that “narco-terrorism” is a huge threat to national security and there are enough evidence of armed militants involved in SoO (Suspension of Operation) and other groups who are also not involved in SoO agreement to be directly involved and funding of poppy plantation and drug trafficking which has directly or indirectly reached political involvement of many legislators. The ongoing civil war in Myanmar has also resulted in involvement of many Kuki militants who are largely Myanmar nationals. This has led to failure of law and order situation in Kuki dominated areas, claimed the committee. “Manipur is now under threat to become the new Golden Triangle and if this remains unchecked and this will result into a massive national security threat that can lead to irreparable damage”, warned the committee.
Topography Land laws and Land rights.
Manipur has been facing a unique problem with all of the states 90% of the population residing in the 10% of the valley land in Imphal and surrounding areas. “Anyone can come and buy land including non-indigenous population whereas the Meiteis who are in the general category cannot buy any land in the hills which constitutes 90% of the state’s Land. This land holding rights has created a huge problem as anyone can buy land in the valley but Meiteis cannot buy land anywhere else”. pointed out the committee during the rally cum demonstration at the Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
ALSO READ: Violence in Manipur The Larger Story issued by Delhi Manipuri Society