Kuki bodies slam Assam Rifles DG’s remarks on Myanmar influx, call it 'misleading'

Two influential Kuki organisations — the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) and the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) — have issued strong rebuttals to remarks made by Lt. Gen. Vikas Lakhera, Director General of Assam Rifles (DGAR), regarding the alleged influx of over 42,000 people from Myanmar into Manipur.

In statements released on Wednesday, both organisations said the DGAR’s comments were “misleading, irresponsible, and dangerously provocative” in the backdrop of Manipur’s ongoing ethnic unrest.

The Kuki-Zo Council accused political leaders, particularly former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, of twisting the DGAR’s remarks to advance a “false narrative of illegal immigrants.” It argued that the people crossing into Manipur were victims of Myanmar’s political and ethnic turmoil, not illegal entrants. “Branding them illegal vilifies the Kuki-Zo people and inflames tensions in an already fragile situation,” the council said.

The KZC added that Assam Rifles had collected biometrics and documents of those who entered under the Free Movement Regime (FMR), which proves due procedures were followed. “This alone refutes the baseless claim that they are illegal,” it said, urging the media not to echo political propaganda that stigmatises communities.

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Both organisations strongly asserted that the Kuki-Zo people are indigenous to the hills of Manipur, not illegal immigrants, and accused former CM Biren Singh of communal prejudice and divisive politics.

Clarification from Assam Rifles

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles issued a clarification stating that the DGAR’s remarks had been misrepresented by certain media outlets.

“After the new FMR policy came into effect, the Myanmarese nationals entering India through crossing points are now being mapped. Since December, 42,000 individuals have been mapped with the help of biometrics and various measures instituted by all concerned government agencies. The data is being shared with all government agencies,” the clarification read.

The statement further noted that these Myanmarese citizens “primarily stay temporarily in the North Eastern states of India — mainly Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh — and eventually revert to their country as per the provisions of the new FMR policy.”

The Assam Rifles stressed that the seminar, where the remarks were made, was part of its academic collaboration with Manipur University and urged the media to reflect the facts in their correct context.