Kuki Groups Allege "Barbaric Actions" By Central Force, Day After 10 Killed In Manipur "Encounter"

Several civil society groups and student organisations of the Kuki tribes have condemned what they call "barbaric actions" of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a day after 10 men from the Kuki tribes were killed in Manipur's Jiribam district.

Three children including two babies, one of them a two-year-old, and three women from the Meitei community are also missing from Jiribam since yesterday.

The police in the ethnic violence-hit state had in a statement said a CRPF post and a police station came under attack from "armed militants" in Jiribam, neighbouring Assam. After a gunfight that lasted 45 minutes, 10 bodies and several weapons including AK and INSAS assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher were found, the police said.

Civil society organisations and leaders of the Kuki tribes have, however, alleged the men were "village volunteers" who were "treacherously murdered". The Kuki groups have alleged the CRPF soldiers conspired with the Manipur Police and armed groups to carry out the attack.

The Manipur Police have denied the allegations.

Some of the Kuki groups that condemned the CRPF and called for a thorough investigation into the matter include Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) General Headquarters, Zomi Students' Federation, Hmar Students' Association, Thadou Youth Association, and Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights.

Hundreds of members of the Kuki tribes gathered in a few cities including Delhi for a silent protest. Many came out in Manipur's Kuki-dominated hill districts Churachandpur and Kangpokpi and protested against what they alleged was "a puppet force, carrying out the will of its masters, while disregarding the welfare and protection of the citizens it is meant to defend."

The KSO in a statement called for non-cooperation with the CRPF in all areas dominated by the Kuki tribes.

"In response to yesterday's inhumane actions by the CRPF in Jiribam, the KSO General Headquarters has issued a directive stating that no CRPF personnel shall be allowed to leave their camp premises. Any CRPF personnel found in violation of this notice shall do so at their own risk and responsibility," the KSO said in a statement, which has been verified as genuine by a senior KSO member to NDTV.

The senior KSO member, who requested anonymity, said the Kuki tribes have been "pushed to the wall" and yesterday's deaths of "11 village volunteers" have hurt the community immensely. The weapons claimed to have been found in the hands of the "village volunteers" could be from anyone, the member said.

"We are aware of what we have said in the statement; it is out of desperation. Who is listening to us? We are not endorsing violence. But we feel helpless. The central forces are supposed to be neutral. The CRPF is under the Home Ministry," said the KSO official, adding the nuances of the angst of the Kuki tribes after the "Jiribam horror" shouldn't be seen in a binary manner. "There is someone behind all this, while the two communities fight. This is what everybody should know," the official said.

Central security forces including the Assam Rifles have faced allegations of bias while operating in Manipur. The valley-dominant Meitei community has often alleged Assam Rifles of going soft on Kuki militants due to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement.

The Kuki tribes had protested against the Centre's move to shift two Assam Rifles battalions to Jammu and Kashmir, to be replaced by CRPF in the areas in Manipur the Assam Rifles had vacated.

The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation.