“Unsettling To Know…”: Kuki-Zo Groups Condemn Attacks On 2 Civil Society Leaders

Imphal/New Delhi:

Two influential civil society organisations of the Kuki-Zo tribes in Manipur have condemned alleged attacks on two of their senior members by unidentified miscreants.

In the first incident, miscreants threw stones and fired shots at the home of Dongzalian Simte, president of the Simte Tribe Council, on the night of December 1 to intimidate and harass him, the civil society organisation (CSO) based in Manipur’s Churachandpur district said in a statement on December 2.

“… It is unsettling to know that this is not the first time such an attack has been made against our president,” the Simte Tribe Council said in the statement. “… Any misunderstanding, if there is at all, can be resolved amicably through dialogue and discussion without having to resort to violent and aggressive methods,” it said.

In the second incident, miscreants armed with iron rods threatened the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) spokesperson Ginza Vualzong and his family at home, the ITLF said in a statement.

The president of the Simte Tribe Council is also a member of the ITLF presidential council and an executive member of the Zo United, a newly formed body that seeks to unite the Zo tribes living in Manipur.

The ITLF is a constituent member of the Zo United, formed in Manipur’s neighbour Mizoram in September, four months after ethnic clashes began in Manipur between the hill-majority Kuki tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis over land, resources and political representation, lit by the fuse of the Meiteis’ demand for inclusion under the affirmative action Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

“Amidst the continuing attacks and the uncertain future that we as one ethnic community are facing, Zo United is disheartened to learn that some people are creating an environment which is alarming for the community and distressing for families and individuals,” Zo United said in a statement on December 2, condemning the attacks on Mr Simte and Mr Ginza.

Churachandpur police sources said they have not received any complaint on the matter. Mr Vualzong confirmed the incident to NDTV today.

“We appeal to all concerned to stop all activities that might lead to confusion and disunity amongst us,” the Zo United said in the statement.

The attacks on the leaders of the Kuki CSOs mirror similar incidents in recent months in the state capital Imphal, where a majority of the Meiteis live. Frustrated with the ethnic violence and no visible efforts on assuring safety – though the leaders claim they did everything possible –  crowds in the valley had surrounded and vandalised homes of ministers, MLAs, a rights activist and even set on fire the home of a Union Minister from the Meitei community.

The incidents indicate the Manipur crisis is not a black-and-white matter, that there are layers on top of layers, many shades of grey, blurred lines and activity in the shadows.

Manipur’s oldest valley-based armed group UNLF signed a tripartite peace agreement with the centre and the state government on November 29. The peace agreement brought the curtains down finally on the armed group formed in 1964, which broke into two factions in its later years. The UNLF personnel will be kept in designated camps, whose details have not been made officially public.

The peace deal, however, is only with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of the Pambei group, and not with the anti-talks UNLF faction led by RK Achou Singh alias Koireng, indicating the complexity of issues tied to Manipur amid the ethnic tensions.

At least 25 hill-based Kuki insurgent groups are already under a tripartite peace deal called the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement. Their personnel also live in designated camps around the valley areas.