Imphal, Sep 1: The Zomi Council Steering Committee (ZCSC) strongly condemned the incessant attack on the Zo ethnic (Kuki-Zomi) tribes of Lamka district living along the border with Bishnupur district in the third consecutive day by Manipur government backed Meitei armed groups.
“These constant hails of bullets and lethal attacks on the Zo ethnic tribes have continued unabated despite repeated calls by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to maintain peace and tranquilly in the region,” stated the ZCSC press release.
The statement said, “The attacks started early in the morning and took place simultaneously in the villages of Chingphe Lonphai, Langchingmanhi Khouabung Khoirentak, and Kangathe, resulting in the loss of precious lives. Meitei Amed groups have even recently resorted to shelling Zo tribal villages with mortar shells stolen from police stations and armouries in the valley areas.”
The numerous stolen weapons that are still at large have become a major security concern for the country in general and for the Zo tribals in particular, and the need for prioritising their return is growing by the hour.
“It has become more and more apparent that the only effective way to contain the rogue Meitei armed groups is the reinstatement of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in all the Valley Districts of Manipur. Two other measures that we believe could also be effective in bringing down the violence incidence are the removal of Phougalchio Ikhai Police Station, which is located in the buffer zone between Lanka and Bishnupur districts, and the prevention of Manipur Police personnel from coming within one mile of the buffer zone,” it stated.
It further said, “At this juncture, it is also necessary to note that these rever-ending attacks are clearly a plot to derail the ongoing bipartite political talks between the UPF-KNO and the Government of India for a political solution.”
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