Kuki Women Organises Statewide Protest Rally Against ‘NIA’s Discrimination, Bias and Selective Actions’ Towards Kuki-Zo People

As directed by the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR) organised a statewide protest rally against the alleged “discrimination, bias and selective actions” of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) towards the Kuki-Zo people on Friday across different Kuki-Zo-inhabited districts of the state.

In Churachandpur, the rally began at Koite village ground, where women and men from different parts of the district took part. The protesters held placards reading, “Enough is Enough”, “Protect Kuki-Zo People”, “Equal Protection: Uphold It, NIA”, “NIA: Not Impartial Anymore”, “Justice Should Be Blind”, “NIA, Why Pick and Choose? NIA Should Not Be Biased”, and “End Selective Action”. The rally concluded at Peace Ground, Tuibong.

Speaking to the media, Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights President Ngaineikim said the rally was organised against what she described as the NIA’s selective and discriminatory actions towards the Kuki-Zo community.

Ngaineikim said the Kuki-Zo people expect the NIA to remain impartial and unbiased and hope that they will be given justice. However, contrary to their expectations, she alleged that the NIA has been arresting members of the Kuki-Zo community while giving a “free hand” to members of other communities in the Imphal Valley and elsewhere.

She further alleged that, in a recent incident, security forces entered a hospital to arrest a boy who had been admitted there. However, she claimed that they were unable to arrest him after women intervened. She also alleged that blank rounds were fired inside the hospital.

“With the way they are attacking us, we cannot say that they are doing justice to our community,” she added.

The KWOHR president further alleged that Kuki-Zo women have been paraded naked, assaulted, raped and killed. “Where are all those perpetrators? They have not been arrested. We have never heard that they have been arrested,” Ngaineikim said.

She added that the manner in which the NIA has been carrying out its work was unfair and unjustifiable.

KWOHR also submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur.

The organisation placed the following demands before the Union Home Minister:

(i) Review the status of cases involving members and leaders associated with Arambai Tenggol, and ensure that credible allegations against them are investigated without fear, favour or political consideration.

(ii) Ensure a thorough investigation into the alleged killing of 15 Kuki persons, including three pastors, and the attacks on and burning of Kuki villages allegedly carried out by NSCN-IM and its proxies, and take appropriate action.

(iii) Ensure that Kuki-Zo individuals facing NIA proceedings are not subjected to unnecessary or indefinite incarceration and that their constitutional and legal rights are fully protected.

(iv) Ensure that no community is disproportionately targeted and that investigations and prosecutions are based solely on evidence and the law.

(v) Provide greater transparency regarding the progress of major NIA cases, to the extent permissible under the law, so that affected communities can have confidence that justice is being pursued impartially.

Rallies were also organized in Tengnoupal district from Loise village to Tengnoupal Deputy commissioner office and also in Sachi Kana Area in Chandel district.