KANGPOKPI, August 21: Elucidating on the factor responsible in the violent confrontation that broke out in Moreh on August 18, the Kuki Students`™ Organization, General Headquarter, the apex student body of the Kukis has strongly alleged biased reporting by some electronic and the print medias in the State today.
Sasang Vaiphei, vice president of KSO (GHQ) lamented that in view of the `unfair reporting`™ witnessed in some electronic and by the print medias of the State on the Moreh violent confrontation, the Kuki students`™ apex body has felt the need to make public aware of the true nature of the incident and the factor responsible as to why violent confrontation broke out in the interest of truth and justice.
He said that the Meitei community in Moreh numbering about 400 households had been trying to hold an ILP rally at Moreh ever since the demand for ILP gathered steam in Imphal, while claiming that on knowing the `disturbing`™ plan the Hill Tribal Council (HTC) met the Meitei Council Moreh (MCM) and tried to dissuade them from carrying out the rally.
Presenting some uncertainties of the HTC about the rally the student body said that the HTC considered the rally as ill-timed since Moreh had been reeling under acute hardship as it was cut off from both sides of the Trans Asian highway for weeks by landslide and flood while adding that such rally which could lead to further agitation would place Moreh in an even more precarious situation.
KSO GHQ leader further lamented that the ILP agitation in Imphal had already taken its toll in Imphal totally paralyzing educational institutions and everyday life of its residents and the HTC did not want the same problems to affect Moreh.
In the past few months there had been articles and comments related to ILP by some Meitei associations in the media which named Kukis as foreigners and the KSO had appealed to the apex Meitei CSOs through newspapers to restrain these associations from making such insensible statements with unresponsive result which has a disturbing effect on the Kukis who started to view the ILP movement in the valley with suspicion and alienation, elucidated the KSO GHQ vice president adding that as such HTC regarded the ILP rally as ill-conceived knowing the sentiment of its people over the foreigner tag.
He also recalled that the HTC and MCM met thrice to discuss the rally issue and finally on August 17 they came into an agreement in which the MCM agreed to call off the rally.
However, the District Magistrate, in sensing trouble brewing up in Moreh, issued an orders clamping CrPC 144 in Moreh with effect from August 18, claimed Sasang Vaiphei.
Even so on August 18 at around 8:00 am the Meitei community, in total violation of the agreement between HTC and MCM unfortunately came out on the street and forcibly shut down schools and business establishments lamented Sasang Vaiphei while adding that even though the curfew was in effect the Moreh police commando, in total contravention of CrPC 144, allowed the rowdy crowd to have procession on the street instead of trying to disperse the crowd which infuriated the Kuki community.
The student body leader further claimed that when the Kuki community came out to the streets to protest they were met with stiff resistance from the police commandos.
He continued that while the protest was taking place on the street the protesters were fired upon from a nearby building and wounded four Kuki protesters namely Lalminlen Zou (23) of Ward No.7; Hougunlen (25) of Ward No.1; Lalminlen (28) and Seingam (24) of Chawangphai while adding that on seeing the wounded men the protest turned violent.
These are the facts that the media intentionally chose to ignore in their reporting by turning a blind eye to the facts tries to place the Kukis of Moreh in poor light maintained Sasang Vaiphei while adding that the medias never reported the gunfire and the casualties suffered by the Kuki community but gave repeated coverage of the woes of the Meitei community of Moreh.
KSO appeals to all communities in the State to uphold the reconciliation peace meeting, initiated by various civil society organizations on August 19 at Moreh Trade Center to maintain peace and normalcy at the border town of Moreh, Sasang Vaiphei added.