Manipur: CM’s Version of Killing Kuki ‘Militants’ May Not be Final Truth, Say Locals

On May 29, on the eve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Manipur, which has been tormented by ethnic clashes, Chief Minister Biren Singh apprised the media about the killing of about 40 Kuki ‘militants’ by security forces.

Notably, this is the first time the Union Home Minister was visiting Manipur since widespread clashes broke out, resulting in large displacement of people, arson, killings, curfew, internet suspension and last, but not the least, a demand by 10 Kuki MLAs (of which seven belong to the ruling BJP) for a separate administration for Kuki-dominated districts.

With the fault lines further widening, the communities, especially the Kukis and the Meiteis, cannot hope to see normalcy anytime soon. In fact, dissonance among the communities is increasing on an unprecedented scale.

The Chief Minister’s version of the killing of Kuki ‘militants’ suggests that it was a result of retaliatory and defensive operations against some terrorist groups that used sophisticated arms against civilians. Singh told the media that the day’s clashes (the day of defensive operation by security forces) were not between communities, but between ‘armed Kuki militants ‘and security forces. The clashes, according to media reports, broke out on Sunday (May 29) in some districts like Churachandpur, Kakching, Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Kangpokpi surrounding the Imphal Valley.

The Chief Minister also warned that the operation would continue to “bring normalcy and for saving civilians”.

However, there is a different version of what the Chief Minister has claimed and what the security forces have done. A few local residents, especially Kukis, including a local MLA, narrated their experiences to Newsclick over the phone, claiming that Singh’s version was not the ‘final truth’.

Usam Ngaihte is a resident of Churachandpur district. It was after great difficulty that Newsclick could connect with him, as he was engaged in arranging for relief for people fleeing to other places. “Before the Union Home Minister’s visit to Manipur, what the CM wanted to tell the world was that it was only because of the Kuki militants that Manipur was unstable, which is a half-sided view,” he said.

Ngaihte added, “There are Meitei militant groups as well, like the Meitei Lipun and the Arambai Tenggol. Everyone knows about them and their activities. They are also armed, that too with sophisticated weaponry.”

Alleging a two-way offensive, Ngaihte said, “What we came to know from the ground is that these Meitei groups, accompanied by Manipur Police commandos, attacked Kuki villages. At the Kangbai area (Churachandpur district) and Sugnu village (Kakching district), volunteers of the Meitei groups along with commandos attacked the villagers. The Village Defence Forces (VDF) of these areas then clashed with them. There could have been some killings in the process, but these were not done by the so-called Kuki militants”.

He also alleged that Kukis were being targeted and the Meitei groups were getting “undeclared support” from the State machinery, adding that even top officials belonging to the Kuki community face a “tough time” in Imphal, the state capital. “Clay Khongsai, a senior IPS officer, had to run away to an army camp for safety”, he claimed.

In this context, it is worth mentioning that in 2008, the Manipur government and three Kuki militant outfits signed a tripartite agreement and an SoO (Suspension of Operation). The three Kuki militant groups were the Kuki National Army (KNA), Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA).

On March 10, this year, the Biren Singh government withdrew from the tripartite agreement and the SoO following protests in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal districts against the government’s crackdown on poppy cultivators in the name of protecting the forest lands.

Several political observers blame the BJP-led state government for initiating the crisis by withdrawing from the SoO agreement of 2008 in March, which ceased armed operations against Kuki militants. After that, its eviction drive led to tension and insecurity among the communities living there.

The Chief Minister’s version also hints at the Kuki groups under SoO of being involved in the latest clashes, allege some local residents.

“An attempt is being made to portray that SoO groups are breaking the rules and by naming them, there is a bid to justify the violence against Kukis. This is nefarious”, said another resident, D.S Mung, over the phone, who had similar concerns as Ngaihte. He also claimed that volunteers of Meitei groups, accompanied by commandos, unleashed attacks on Kuki civilians at several villages and in retaliation, the VDF clashed with them.

NewsClick also spoke to a local Kuki MLA, who is a signatory of the memorandum submitted to Union Home Ministry demanding a separate administration for Kuki-dominated districts. Requesting anonymity, the MLA confirmed what Ngaithe and Mung claimed.

“The media in Manipur is biased and air only the CM’s version. Our concerns are totally sidelined. What Biren Singh claimed about killing of Kuki militants is nothing but an exaggeration. What our sources say is that 30 or 40 killings did not happen, it should be much less”, said the Kuki MLA.

Alleging attempts at ethnic cleansing, he said, “What is happening in Manipur is that the killings are being used as an excuse to legitimise ethnic cleansing of Kukis. Biren Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba are leading in spreading lies to justify their nefarious actions”.

Commenting on the escalating violence, the Kuki MLA said,“Kangbai is a hotspot now as it lies at the border between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts. Every day, there have been clashes between VDF and Meitei groups accompanied by commandos,” adding that “remnants of bombs and mortars are found here. These are sophisticated weapons, and do not belong to the state forces. How come these are being used? From where are these coming from?”

The Meiteis have there own side of the story, irrespective of whether they believe in Biren Singh’s version or not. They see a future of more suffering and uncertainty in their lives.

An Imphal-based social worker belonging to Meitei community, requesting anonymity, told NewsClick, “I have seen the Meitei civilians guarding their villages. I don’t think they have sophisticated arms, rather they stand on vigil in their villages with registered pistols.”

He claimed that “from the ground, we came to know that several Meitei villages were attacked and people had fled in the past three days. Violence has escalated again. The Meitei villagers say that BSF or Army don’t do much, they don’t even shoot at the other side saying that they cant shoot on groups under SoO. That’s the reason they (Meiteis) have to guard their villages.”

On what the Meiteis want, he said, “A lot of protests are going on in Imphal demanding that peace be restored. During the Kuki-Naga conflict during the 1990s, the Meiteis played a key role in mediating peace between the two communities. Then, too, the Meiteis said that Manipur’s integrity should remain intact and there should not be a separate Nagaland or Kukiland,” alleging that “the Kukis are more adamant now, and they also want to empty Meitei villages so that their territory gets larger.”

According to sources in Frontier Manipur, a leading web media platform, when firing from both sides took place on the ground, they got evidence of AK 47, Mi16 use, as also shooting at cars with sniper guns. The report claimed these were used by Kuki militants.