GUWAHATI: In strife-torn Manipur, a tribal organisation is mounting pressure on the government demanding the withdrawal of the state police force from the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh in the Kuki-majority Tengnoupal district.
The women’s wing of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) staged a sit-in in Moreh in support of the demand. The ITLF warned of staging the protest in all hill districts of the state if the demand was not met by 6 pm on Monday.
In the Tengnoupal district, Kuki-Zo women enforced a blockade on the Imphal-Moreh road to prevent state police forces from heading towards Moreh. Earlier, the ITLF expressed its concern over the Manipur government’s alleged attempt to station state security forces in the border town.
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“It is common knowledge that Meitei security forces are openly supporting the majority community in the present ethnic conflict. This is why, tribal women in Moreh are blocking the national highway in an effort to stop state forces from entering the border town,” the tribal organisation had said.
It said there were fears that members of two Meitei radical groups were “embedded” with police commandos and could wreak havoc if they entered Moreh.
“…the majority of civil and police officers in Tengnoupal district are from the majority Meitei community, including the additional district superintendent of police, sub-divisional police officer and officer-in-charge,” the ITLF said.
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Stating that Union home minister Amit Shah had promised during his last visit to Manipur that no state security forces would be stationed in Moreh, the organisation requested the state government to withdraw all “Meitei security personnel” from the town to maintain fairness and neutrality.
Meanwhile, despite multiple requests, the Centre reportedly has not provided any financial assistance to Mizoram for taking care of around 12,600 tribals who are taking shelter in the state after being displaced by the violence in Manipur. Mizoram government sources said the state had sought Rs 10 crore from the Centre.
