At least 25 Kuki insurgent groups in Manipur, who are in Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the government, on Sunday, hoped that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit could find a solution to the ongoing ethnic clash.
"We, the Kuki Zo acknowledge the deployment of the Central forces in the troubled areas as a positive step to safeguard our community from further attack. We view the Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit for an on-the-spot study of the situation to find a solution to the ongoing ethnic clashes as the Union government's positive initiative," said a joint statement issued by United People's Front (UPF) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), two umbrella organisations of the 25 rebel groups, who have been in SoO since 2008. "The planned visit of Shah has given a sense of security among the Kuk Zo tribe. We look forward to his actions to end this ongoing ethnic clash between the two communities."
Silent spectator:
Although CM Biren Singh suspected the involvement of the Kuki groups in SoO in the attacks, the Kuki groups alleged that the BJP government in the state has remained a "silent spectator" when Kukis were killed by armed Meitei miscreants.
"We, the peace-loving Kuki Zo tribe were forced to protect our lives when we were attacked by the armed Meitei mob, who were tacitly supported by the state government machinery," said the statement.
Biren Singh, however, rejected the allegations of biases and said that the state government had taken steps to protect the lives and properties, irrespective of communities.
At least 74 persons have died while 35,000 others have been displaced since May 3 when the riot broke out between a section of the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis over the former's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.