KUKI INPI MANIPUR CONDEMNS POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST PEACEFUL RALLY
The Kuki Inpi Manipur, which serves as the apex body of Kuki tribes, has issued a condemnation against the recent brutal and deplorable response of the police forces against a peaceful mass rally at Kangpokpi. The rally was organized to appeal to the central government to intervene against several issues faced by the scheduled hill areas of Manipur.
The rally was held to draw attention to issues such as Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, Protected Sites, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Extension of Land Revenue, and show cause notices for eviction drives issued to scheduled Hill areas and tribal villages by the Manipur forest department. However, the constitutional right of holding a peaceful protest, as enshrined in the Constitution of India Art. 19 (1) (a) & 19 (1)(c), was unlawfully denied by government authorities.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur points out that the use of Section 144 of the CrPc to curb non-violent dissent was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court in January 2020. Despite this, police commandos used tear-gas and even live bullets against unarmed civilians, resulting in the injury of more than 15 people and causing severe mental trauma to the people of Kangpokpi district.
The Kuki Inpi Manipur finds such ill-advised and brutal responses against peaceful demonstrations to be totally uncalled for. It is cruel to the people and a violation of their rights and privileges. The indigenous rights of tribals are being questioned, and their identity and history distorted, leading to their exploitation.
Therefore, the Kuki Inpi Manipur calls upon the central government to intervene and protect the rights of indigenous and minority tribals in Manipur. It is time to take immediate action and ensure that the constitutional rights of citizens are respected, and their voices heard.
