Manipur tribals’ conditional support to NRC demanded by Meiteis, Nagas

Imphal: Days, after the leading Meitei and Naga organisations reiterated their demand to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state to curb infiltration from across the border, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) on Saturday said that they would not oppose the execution of NRC in the state, provided it is under supervision of the Supreme Court.

The KIM, one of the leading bodies of Kuki-Zomi tribals in Manipur, said that they would not dispute any such genuine efforts for identification and necessary actions as per constitutional rules and principles, provided that it is carried out under strict supervision of the Supreme Court and in due consultation with tribal organisations.

“Subsequently, any illegal immigrant found, whether a Kuki, Naga or Meitei, may be thoroughly dealt with as per established laws of the country,” said KIM Secretary, Information and Publicity Janghaolun Haokip.

Haokip said that the Manipur state issue in no way concerns the Kuki-Zo people who have been forced out of Manipur and were compelled to petition their grievances to the government of India for constitutional protection in the creation of a Union Territory with Legislature for the tribals belonging to the Kuki-Zo community.

The KIM said that they would like to stress the immediate need for political settlement above all other matters of importance.

“The unwarranted and brutal hostilities against our people by the Meiteis must end, and only then a procedural conduct of NRC in Kuki-Zo inhabited regions can be justifiable and viable.

“The Meitei state leadership responsible for the oppression and persecution of our people, causing the loss of 186 precious lives, the arson and destruction of more than 7,000 houses, rendering more than 41,000 Kuki-Zo people homeless has no legitimate say and authority over the future of our people,” Haokip said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a joint delegation of leaders of Coordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and the United Naga Council (UNC) earlier this week urged Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to implement the NRC in the state with a base year of 1951 to curb infiltration from across the border and protect the indigenous people.

COCOMI Coordinator Thokchom Somorendro and UNC President NG Lorho led the joint delegation, which also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

COCOMI is the apex body of the Meitei community in Manipur while the UNC is the leading organisation of Nagas in the state.

Somorendro and Lorho had informed the Governor that NRC implementation in Manipur is extremely vital to curb the influx of illegal immigrants, which they claimed, “shattered the demographic balance” of the northeastern state.

“Illegal migrants have already caused serious uncertainties and political insecurities to the native population of the state,” the memorandum said.

The COCOMI and UNC leaders have urged the Governor that NRC should be implemented at the earliest so that scientific method of identification may be applied to detect illegal immigrants and ensure that no further infiltration occurs in the state henceforth.

In the over year-long ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi tribals, over 220 people were killed, 1,500 injured and over 70,000 people displaced after the ethnic hostility broke out on May 3 last year following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’, organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.