Manipur: Kangpokpi's tribal body urges centre for additional security forces in wake of recent attacks

The Committee on Tribal Unity, Sadar Hills (CoTU), the apex Kuki-Zo tribal body in Kangpokpi, has raised concerns and urged the Central Government to deploy additional security forces in areas predominantly inhabited by the Kuki-Zo community. This appeal comes in the aftermath of a incident where miscreants allegedly attacked and torched houses in the Kuki-Zo Maphou dam village.

The committee revealed that on the evening of January 18, residential houses and properties belonging to the Kuki-Zo community were reduced to ashes in a targeted assault. Of particular significance is Maphou Dam village, the hometown of the late Paotinsat Guite, also known as Sasat Guite, a Sub-Inspector of the BSF's 59th Battalion, who sacrificed his life defending the nation in Jammu.

Expressing deep concern, the committee highlighted the irony that the very people defended by Sub-Inspector Sasat Guite were now responsible for burning down the remaining houses in Maphou village. The committee strongly condemned what it described as unethical reporting by valley-based media outlets, asserting that such reporting tends to unfairly point fingers at the Kuki-Zo community in violent incidents. 

In a statement, the committee stated that it is implausible for the Kuki-Zo to be attacking their own villages stating that peace is disrupted by miscreants often disguised in state police uniforms. They called for a more nuanced understanding of the situation, urging media outlets to avoid rushing to conclusions that may further escalate tensions.

The CoTU appealed to the Central Government for the immediate deployment of additional security forces, particularly in remote and vulnerable areas like Phailengmol. Citing the Union Home Minister's directives on security maintenance, the committee stressed the need for central security forces to oversee Kuki-Zo dominated regions, while state security forces handle security responsibilities in the valley.