Koireng led UNLF warns immediate halt of challenging UNLF ideology

The Koireng-led United National Liberation Front (UNLF) has alleged that certain social media posts circulating on various platforms like Facebook and YouTube had misinterpreted the ideology of the UNLF and misleading the general public particularly the youths. In a statement issued by M. Shak-Hen, Secretary of Publicity, Central Committee, the outfit said the circulation of such “reactionary ideas” based on narrow communal thinking could lead to the disintegration of Manipur.
According to the statement, the UNLF felt it necessary to restate its ideology, objectives and role for all communities of the region, which it said have guided the organisation since its inception.
The outfit alleged that “in the name of suppressing the revolutionary movement”, the Government of India has adopted a “Divide and Destroy” strategy following its earlier “Divide and Rule” policy. It further claimed that armed Kuki groups were used as part of what it described as the most potent offensive launched on May 3, 2023, allegedly aimed at confining the Meitei population within the valley.
The statement then alleged that the Government of India has been pursuing a demographic war by settling Kuki immigrants from Myanmar in the foothill areas of Manipur. The ongoing conflict has resulted in numerous casualties and displaced more than 60,000 people, it added. The protracted unrest severely affected the State’s economy, the outfit claimed.
Reiterating its concept of Manipur, the UNLF said the State is home to diverse communities, each with its own culture and identity. While the Meiteis in the valley form the largest community, they are only one among the several communities that have lived together in Manipur for centuries, it stated. The outfit asserted that every community has the right to protect and promote its unique identity, and Manipur should be a nation where communities coexist with mutual respect and interdependence.
The statement stated that the establishment of people’s democracy is needed to realise this vision. It clarified further that the UNLF is not a group fighting for the Meitei community alone and respects the identities of all communities. However, it maintained that the responsibility of safeguarding individual community identities lies with the respective communities themselves.
The UNLF warned all concerned to desist from challenging its principles and its concept of Manipur and warned against the influence of what it described as false and reactionary narratives.