Manipur BJP MLAs want Centre to declare Kuki militants responsible for Jiribam killings as ‘unlawful organisation’

At a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, the MLAs demanded ‘mass operations against Kuki militants responsible for’ the abduction and killing of women and children in Jiribam

In the wake of the killing of women and children in Jiribam district, Manipur’s ruling alliance MLAs passed a resolution Monday (November 18, 2024), urging the Centre to “review the imposition of AFSPA” and declare the Kuki militants responsible for the killing as an “unlawful organisation” within seven days.

At a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, the MLAs demanded “mass operations against Kuki militants responsible for” the abduction and killing of women and children in Jiribam during November 11 violence.

“Chaired a crucial meeting with ruling MLAs today where we strongly condemned the recent killing of innocents in Jiribam. Rest assured, justice will be ensured and firm action will be taken up against the perpetrators. Key decisions on AFSPA and strengthening law & order were also taken to ensure peace and stability in the State,” the CM said in a post on X.

The resolution also endorsed the Cabinet’s decision from earlier to transfer three major cases to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) - the killing of six Meitei women and children in Jiribam, the November 7 burning of a Hmar woman in Jiribam and the November 9 killing of a Meitei woman farmer in Saiton, Bishnupur district.

The resolution stated that if these were “not implemented within the specified period, the NDA legislators will decide the future course of action in consultation with the people of the State”. It also stated that legal action would be taken against people who had vandalised the homes of legislators during the protests.

Also read | Pressure mounts on Manipur govt. for release of 6 persons abducted during November 11 violence

Centre reimposes AFSPA in six police station limits

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 14 reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) declaring six police station limits in five districts of Manipur as “disturbed areas”, in the wake of the ongoing ethnic violence in the State.

The MHA said that after a review of the security situation in consultation with the stakeholders it is noted that the “situation continues to remain volatile amidst ongoing ethnic violence, and intermittent firing in violence-prone areas continues in the fringe areas of Bishnupur-Churachandpur, Imphal East-Kangpokpi-Imphal West and Jiribam districts with several instances of active participation of insurgent groups in heinous acts of violence.”

The bodies of five of the six persons who went missing from Jiribam after a gunfight between security forces and Kuki-Zo militants that resulted in the deaths of 10 insurgents on November 11, were found in Jiri River in Jiribam and Barak River in Assam’s Cachar over the last few days and were brought to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in a “highly decomposed state”.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Imphal Valley, where curfew remained enforced and internet services suspended after agitators vandalised and set ablaze properties belonging to several ministers and legislators.

Defying curfew orders, a Meitei group on Monday took to the streets and locked several government offices in Imphal’s West district to protest the recent killings in Jiribam even as the Centre decided to rush about 5,000 paramilitary troops to tackle the “volatile” situation in restive Manipur after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s review meeting in New Delhi.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published - November 19, 2024 09:13 am IST