IT News
Imphal, Sept 20:
Days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the urgent need to fence the Indo-Myanmar border as a solution to the ongoing Manipur crisis, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has firmly rejected the initiative. KIM continues to oppose the Union government’s stance, maintaining that illegal immigration is not the root cause of the violence that has ravaged the state for over 16 months.
In a strongly worded statement, KIM denounced the United Committee Manipur (UCM), which has been supportive of Shah’s proposal to fence the border, describing the initiative as misguided. According to KIM, the violence is not related to cross-border immigration but stems from what it calls “state-sponsored ethnic cleansing” of the Kuki-Zo people. The organization pointed out that Meitei settlements in Churachandpur have been largely abandoned, accusing the state of ignoring the armed Kuki militants’ attacks on Meitei villages in peripheral areas between Kangpokpi and Churachandpur using drone bombs and long-range rockets.
KIM further claimed that opposition to the border fencing goes beyond the Kuki-Zo people, with Naga and Mizo communities also rejecting the project as a violation of human rights. It criticized the government’s push for border fencing, stating it disrespects indigenous ties that predate modern India’s borders and ignores the human and cultural bonds shared across the Indo-Myanmar region.
The organization also questioned the Home Minister’s narrative, accusing him of acknowledging the violence as an ethnic conflict rather than an issue driven by illegal immigration or terrorism. KIM contended that instead of focusing on fencing, the government should prioritize the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by what it termed a “state-sponsored genocide.” With basic relief for displaced communities still insufficient, the group argued that fencing the border would not resolve the deep-rooted ethnic tensions in the state.
In contrast to Amit Shah’s call for increased border security, KIM reiterated its longstanding demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo people, a proposal that critics argue could escalate the crisis further. KIM maintained that this is the only lasting solution to the conflict, signaling continued resistance to the government’s efforts to restore peace in the region through border control measures.
