Kuki tribes take out a protest march in Manipur's Churachandpur
The Manipur government has strongly condemned the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum's (ITLF) call for "self-governed separate administration" in districts dominated by the Kuki tribes, and termed it as illegal.
State government spokesperson and Education Minister Th Basantakumar Singh told reporters "the irresponsible statements appear to be motivated and aimed at vitiating and disturbing the law and order situation in the state."
"Meeting of the ruling party legislators held on Thursday strongly condemned the statement and appropriate legal actions is being initiated against ITLF and persons concerned," the minister said.
The ITLF, a frontal Kuki group, had on Wednesday threatened to establish a "self-governed separate administration" in areas where these tribes have a majority, "whether the centre recognises it or not."
The ITLF said even after more than six months since ethnic violence began, the central government is yet to accept the Kukis' demand for a separate administration.
"More than six months have passed since the ethnic strife started in Manipur but nothing has been done regarding our demand for a separate administration. If our demand is not heard within a couple of weeks, we will set up our self-government irrespective of whether the centre recognises it or not," ITLF general secretary Muan Tombing said.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has also condemned ITLF's separate administration demand and said it will only escalate the prevailing tensions. It is a conspiracy to permanently rule out peaceful co-existence, COCOMI said in a statement, adding it is well-known to both the central and state governments that illegal immigrants are primarily behind the violence in Manipur.
Manipur has remained gripped by recurring bouts of violence since ethnic clashes first erupted in May. More than 180 people have been killed since then.