GUWAHATI: The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a civil body organisation based in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district of Manipur, has called for an emergency shutdown on national Highway -39 (covering Kangpokpi district) from 6 am on Tuesday.
The 15-hour bandh will begin at 6 am and end at 9 am.
“This shutdown has been called in commemorating the fifth month of ethnic cleansing drive sponsored by the Manipur state government,” CoTU media cell head Thanglenmang Kipgen told reporters on Monday night.
Simultaneously, the CoTU also served the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) a 48-hour-long ultimatum urging it to direct the central agencies for the immediate release of all Kuki-Zo arrested and to initiate the investigation of “Meitei criminals” and convict them for the sake of natural justice.
“We will go for an indefinite shutdown from October 5 starting from 6 am regarding the biased and selective targeting of Kuki-Zo community people by the CBI and NIA. This one is ultimatum for 48 hours,” Kipgen said.
The CoTU condemned the attempt of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to bring one-sided justice and said the arrest of four Kuki-Zo persons at Leimatak area and the arrest of Seiminlun Gangte is a clear indication of the partisan attitude of the MHA to support the false narrative of the valley chief minister in a conflict-torn state.
“The CoTU is compelled to impose emergency shutdown on NH-37 until the authorities concerned expedite the safe release of the abducted Satthang Kipgen of Biojang Village, New Keithelmanbi area,” Kipgen also said.
In the ultimatum, the CoTU urged the MHA to arrest the officials and other personnel involved in the looting of 6,000 arms and six lakh ammunition from the state arsenal.
The organization also demanded the Central government to book the culprits with relevant punishment regarding the gut-wrenching incident of the paraded victims and deliver immediate justice, to book the culprits involved in the rape and murder of two Kuki-Zoo girls.
It further demanded to book the culprits of the immolation of a 7-year-old boy and his mother who were burnt alive in an ambulance.
The CoTU demanded the arrest of Kishan Shoram and state commandos involved in the massacre of three Kuki-Zo persons at the Kangchup area and to arrest of Meirembam Romesh Mangang and his gang for beheading David Thiek. The CoTU claimed that they could produce photographic evidence in connection with both incidents.
“If there is a failure on the part of the MHA to heed the voices of fair intervention and there is a lapse of 48 hours then CoTU will impose indefinite shutdown in the entire Kangpokpi district,” it added.
