Security forces personnel in Manipur.
Credit: PTI Photo
Churachandpur: A major Kuki organisation of Manipur called for a 12-hour “total shutdown” in the Kuki-majority areas of the ethnic violence-affected state on Wednesday to protest against the arrest of five people belonging to the community.
The Kuki Inpi in a statement on Tuesday said it would enforce the shutdown between 6 am and 6 pm.
“The Kuki Inpi in its emergency meeting today resolved to call a 12 Hours (6 am to 6 pm) ‘Total Shutdown’ in all Kuki-Zo dominated regions on 10.7.2024 to protest against the gross injustice meted out to our people,” the statement read.
The tribal body urged all Kuki-Zo regional organisations to abide by the resolve to express solidarity for the common cause of the people.
The deployment of the central security forces in vulnerable areas initially provided a sense of safety and security for the Kuki-Zo people, but the arrest of two persons in Jiribam and three others in Kangpokpi districts since Monday “poses a significant security threat” for them, the statement said.
It alleged that the Imphal valley based militant groups are openly brandishing sophisticated arms, while the Kuki-Zo people are being terrorized.
In the ethnic violence affected Manipur, both the warning Imphal valley-based Meitei community and hill-based Kukis have been accusing the central force of supporting the other group.
Over 200 people were killed and thousands rendered homeless in the violence since May last year.