New Delhi
The troubled times and a fragile peace has one refrain - “We too want peace, but they should stop attacking us first".
Such screams are heard from both Meiteis and Kukis. This is not unusual in a region where insider-outsider syndrome has put the streets/villages on fire on multiple occasions.
After unprecedented carnage in 2023, peace appeared fleetingly within reach.
At least the ruling dispensation BJP or government authorities were claiming even as late as October 2024.
Officials say at least 258 people including women, children and infants expired
and over 40,000 people have been 'internally displaced' since May 2023 in the biggest law-and-order failure in BJP-ruled Manipur state.
Blogger - file snap
“We want peace, but if they attack us, we have to defend ourselves," is another refrain that surfaced and re-surfaced after the Jiribam fracas.
It has been alleged by Hmar people (from Zo family) that a 31-year-old woman was raped and set ablaze on Nov 7.
Retaliatory fire by security personnel killed at least 10 Kuki militants on Nov 11.
Then those abducted (six of them) were allegedly killed.
But till November this year, Nagas remained fairly at a safe distance from the worst ever ethnic conflict in the state.
Autopsy reports have claimed that Laishram Lamnganba, (10 months) the infant, showed bruises on the face, forehead, and nasal bridge, reports said.
Additional injuries included a lacerated wound on the jaw, fractured ribs, a fractured humerus, and a bullet wound on the left knee.
There's no let up in this situation. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) Sadar Hills Kangpokpi and their associates have strongly condemned the reported abduction of an MES employee (of a zo) stationed at Leimakhong on Nov 25.
In the meantime, gradually Nagas are getting drawn.
It's no exaggeration but the old Naga-Kuki conflicts might be coming back. And this time one set of protagonists are Rongmei Nagas.
According to The Rongmei Naga Students’ Organization (RNSOM), two trucks carrying essential goods, including rice, onions, and potatoes, were ambushed early Wednesday, Nov 13, along National Highway 37.
In the mid-nineties, the clashes were mostly between Tangkhul Nagas and Kukis.
Worse, Nagas in Manipur have also started facing intra community problems.
There is a visible conflict of interest now between (NSCN-IM) and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) at Sangji village in Tamenglong District.
"Strongly denouncing the standoff (between NSCN-IM and ZUF), the civil organizations condemned the indiscriminate firing by suspected NSCN-IM cadres in the vicinity of the village and cautioned that continued indulgence in provocative activities within the Naga brethren "is against the public’s sentiment".
In yet another instance of growing differences between Nagas and the Kukis, the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body representing the Naga community in Manipur, has issued a press statement expressing its concerns and rejecting the legitimacy of the newly formed 'United Tribal Council of Manipur'.
The Makhan Village Authority said that a “pervasive encroachment” into Makhan Liangmai Naga land by opium poppy planters i.e. “some Kuki groups and individuals has tremendously given a hardship to the land owners.
The Makhan village is a hub of Lingmai Nagas.
The Makhan Village Authority said, “We give the government a period of 4 days from the release of this press statement to take up a fleet-footed action to destroy the poppy plants from our Makhan Liangmai Naga land and arrest those Kuki poppy cartel groups and individuals who brandished their arms and weapons on the young volunteers and damaged the equipments”.
Ends
No comments:
Post a Comment