IMPHAL, 10 Aug: Forty MLAs of violence-hit Manipur have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the state requires complete disarmament to foster an environment of peace and security.
These MLAs, most of whom are ethnic Meiteis, also demanded the withdrawal of the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, implementation of NRC in the state, and strengthening of the autonomous district councils (ADC).
In the memorandum, these MLAs opposed the demand for a ‘separate administration’ by Kuki groups.
“For the immediate establishment of security, simple deployment of forces is inadequate. Although it is imperative to halt the violence in the peripheral areas, a complete disarmament is the key to achieve this goal. The entire state requires a complete disarmament to foster an environment of peace and security,” said the memorandum that was submitted to the PM on Wednesday.
“The confiscation of all weapons belonging to insurgent groups and illegal armed foreign forces and those snatched from the state machinery needs to be carried out. In this regard, the central security forces need to adopt a more proactive approach to ensure lasting peace in the region,” it added.
There have been numerous instances of farmers going out to work their fields only to be fired upon by militants, the memorandum said.
“In many cases, these firing incidents have occurred in the presence of central security forces which have failed to react appropriately, or react at all,” it claimed, demanding that Assam Rifles (9, 22 and 37) need to be transferred from their present location of deployment and “trustworthy central forces” along with state security can replace them to “neutralise and sanitise” all threats to peace, security and stability.
The MLAs demanded the withdrawal of the SoO agreement with all those Kuki militant outfits that have violated the ground rules.
“There has been large-scale foreign infiltration with arms and ammunition into the state. So, the central forces should proactively engage with them. There has been a non-stop conflict between the state/central forces and these insurgent armed groups in the state for the last 3 months,” the memorandum said.
The MLAs also demanded implementation of NRC in the state.
“The issue must be addressed politically in order to resolve this crisis of conflict. There are many options that can be explored. On one hand, to reassure the indigenous people of Manipur, the National Registrar of Citizens (NRC) can be implemented in Manipur, sooner rather than later. Biometric registrations of immigrants have started; it should be expanded and strengthened,” said the memorandum.
The MLAs said that a ‘separate administration’ as demanded by Kuki groups is absolutely unacceptable under any circumstances.
“To reassure all communities, we may consider to strengthen the ADC, and conduct of regular elections (which have not been taking place) to the Hill Area Committee (HAC) and the six existing ADCs,” they said.
After all these actions are taken, the necessary peace talks can be initiated to deliver a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis, they added.
Earlier, all 10 Kuki MLAs of the state, cutting across party lines, wrote to the Centre, seeking a separate administration for Kuki areas.
Naga-majority areas of Manipur also witnessed a demonstration on Wednesday against the state government, seeking an early culmination of the Naga peace talks. The Naga groups earlier demanded a greater Nagaland.
Ethnic violence broke out in the state in May and has been continuing for the last three months, killing more than 160 people and leaving thousands homeless.
Torch rally in Imphal
Hundreds of women took out torch rallies across the Imphal valley, demanding that a special session of the Manipur assembly be convened before the monsoon session of Parliament ends.
The rallies were held around 9:30 pm on Wednesday in Keisampat, Keisamthong and Kwakeithel in Imphal West district, and Wangkhei and Kongba in Imphal East district.
“In the assembly session, the government should pass a resolution to protect the state’s territorial integrity and send it to Parliament while it is still in session,” Ingudam Babita, one of the participants of the rally, told reporters in Wangkhei.
The women also raised slogans against the demand for separate administration by Kuki groups, and for implementation of NRC to identify “illegal” immigrants in the state and deport them.
The Manipur cabinet last week recommended Governor Anusuiya Uikey to convene a session of the assembly from 21 August.
The previous assembly session was held in March, and violence broke out in the state in May.
Last Saturday, a 24-hour general strike called by Meitei apex group Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), demanding a special session of the assembly, had paralysed life in the Imphal valley.
The COCOMI, an umbrella body of several Imphal-based civil society organisations, had also announced on 6 August a “boycott of the state government” for its failure to convene an emergency session of the assembly and inept handling of the ongoing unrest in the state. (PTI)