Ginza Vualzong

Watch | Trust in Modi Government is Waning Day by Day: Kuki ITLF Spokesperson

In an interview with Karan Thapar, Ginza Vualzong added that the ITKF and the wider Kuki community still have “a flicker of hope” and they “pray” the Union government will fulfil the commitments it has made.

In an interview recorded on Wednesday evening, hours before the Intelligence Bureau director and Manipur interlocutor arrived in Imphal to hold talks with the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, its chief spokesperson and head of media and publicity Ginza Vualzong has said that the organisation stands by “every word” of a press release it issued on Tuesday where it says: “The trust we have placed in the Central government is waning day by day.”

However, in a 25-minute interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, Vualzong added that his organisation and the wider Kuki community still have “a flicker of hope” and they “pray” the Union government will fulfil the commitments made to the ITLF in August by Union home minister Amit Shah. As of now, those commitments have either been reneged upon or not fulfilled in proper spirit. Vualzong did accept that this is a case of “hope against hope”.

After several weeks of relative calm in Manipur, when many came to believe the situation was improving, the ITLF press release declaring that faith in the Modi government is waning day by day is an ominous and worrying note, particularly because it happens at a time when there’s been an uptick in killings and abductions.

In the interview, Vualzong discusses all the demands made by the ITLF in August to Shah, and the response and commitments given by the government. In each case, he explains where the government has fallen short in fulfilling its promises as well as the one issue on which it has taken action – although inadequately.

Vualzong also raises a new issue i.e. the discriminatory response of the N. Biren Singh government to atrocities committed on the Meiteis compared to its response to atrocities committed on the Kukis. This is an issue that has arisen after the August talks with the government.

On the critical Kuki-Zo demand for a separate administration, Vualzong says the talks are effectively stalled and there has been no progress since August. He agrees and accepts that this is perhaps because the government came to believe that because Manipur was relatively calm during the last few weeks and the government could afford to drag its feet in the hope the matter would resolve itself without further action.

Manipur: Six Dead in Exchange of Fire Near Churachandpur-Bishnupur Border

Meitei and Kuki communities in the border area began exchanging fire on August 29 after a farmer was shot. Many others have been injured in the ensuing gunfight, including military personnel.

New Delhi: Two days after an 11-minute assembly session in Manipur, during which chief minister N. Biren Singh moved an obituary reference and proposed a two-minute silence to honour those killed in the violence, six people – four from the Kuki community and two from the Meitei community – fell victim to crossfire in the state.

This firing is currently occurring in Churachandpur and Moirang, which are predominantly Kuki and Meitei areas respectively.

The two Meitei victims have been identified as Pebam Deban Singh (50) and Moirangthem Ropen Singh (48), while the four who lost their lives in Churachandpur are L.S. Mangboi (42), Richard Hemkholun (31), Paokam Kipgen, and Pausondam.

The situation in Manipur has remained tense since Tuesday (August 29), with firing persisting since then.

Nasir Khan, a resident of Kwakta, which is located 8 kilometres away from the conflict zone, described the situation thus: “I can hear the sounds of bomb blasts even though I’m eight kilometres from the location. Imagine the situation for those where the fighting is ongoing.”

Villages affected by the firing include Naranseina, Thamnapokpi, and Ngangkha Leikai in the valley, as well as Kangathei and the foothills of Khorentak in the hill areas.

Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum spokesperson Ginza Vualzong informed The Wire that Mangboi and Hemkholun died due to bombings, while Kipgen lost his life in crossfire.

Additionally, sources from the Bishnupur police in the valley confirmed that one of the deceased individuals in that region had also perished due to bombing.

The Wire’s analysis indicates that Moirang is situated a bit further from the border area between Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts – where the gunfight began – and if the situation remains tense in such regions, it could pose dangers to both communities.

As firing continues, residents are strongly advised to remain indoors until the situation improves.

Hindustan Times reported that the firing began on Tuesday following the shooting of a 26-year-old farmer, Salam Jotin Singh, who lives in Naranseina.

Two jawans from the India Reserve Battalion, who had been deployed to the area following the firing, were also injured in the gunfight.

Such exchange of fire has routinely occurred in places at the borders between Kuki and Meitei-dominated areas ever since ethnic conflict began between the two communities in early May. The violence has resulted in their near-total segregation.

Complete shutdowns are now in effect in both Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts, with the exception of emergency services such as medical, police, water, electricity, and press activities.

On August 29, The Wire had reported the killing of two people in the firing, one from each community. In the span of 15 days, Manipur has now witnessed a total of 13 deaths.

Details of people injured on August 31:

1. Khamthang (37) of Molnom village
Splinter injury to right leg

2. Lunkhohao (53) of Tuingamjang village
Splinter injury to right foot

3. Thangliensang (35) of Molnom village
Splinter injury to right hand

4. Gouminlen (12) of Nahlon village
Splinter injury to left hand

5. Muanthang (52) of Kangvai village
Splinter injury

6. Pausawndam (35) of Kangvai village
Splinter injury

7. Lamminlal (36) of Kangvai village
Splinter injury

All residents of Churachandpur district.

Watch | Full Details of Kuki Leaders’ Talks With Amit Shah on Mass Burials, Separate Administration

In an interview with Karan Thapar, Ginza Vualzong of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum revealed what was discussed, the positions taken by either side, the areas where there is agreement as well as one area where there is a 50:50 chance of an agreement.

In a comprehensive and detailed interview, conducted immediately after the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) finished their talks with Union home minister Amit Shah, the umbrella body’s spokesperson has revealed what was discussed, the positions taken by either side and the areas where there is agreement as well as, as he put it, one area where there is a 50:50 chance of an agreement.

In a 34-minute interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, Ginza Vualzong said the home minister has asked ITLF to find a different site for the mass burials they plan because the original site they have chosen is in the conflict zone. As a sweetener, Vualzong said Shah has offered to hand over the original site to the Kuki-Zo community to use for public utility purposes or as a memorial park. He believes there’s a “50:50 chance” the Kuki community will agree. ITLF will now consult them. He says they will communicate their answer to the Home Minister in a week.

Vualzong said that in response to the ITLF demand that “Meitei state forces” should not be deployed in the hill district, the home minister agreed that they would only enter accompanied by either the paramilitary or the Assam Rifles. Vualzong said this was not what they wanted but they are prepared to accept it.

Regarding the ITLF demand that tribal jail inmates in Imphal should be moved to other states for safety, Shah said that as of now there has been no trouble or violence of any sort in jails – something Vualzong agreed with – but if anything were to happen, the government would shift tribal jail inmates out of Imphal jails.

On the key issue of separate administration, Vualzong said the issue was raised with Shah, who said that it should be talked about after peace has prevailed and an appropriate political environment is created. In other words, the home minister is envisaging a two-stage process.

Vualzong said he got the impression that the director of the Intelligence Bureau and A.K. Mishra, the interlocutor for militant groups which have entered into a suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the government, are sympathetic and understanding of the ITLF position that they cannot any longer live with the Meiteis. However, neither gentleman spoke specifically about a separate administration.

The spokesperson made clear that the ITLF will no longer accept an autonomous territorial council. That door is firmly shut. However, they are open to either separate statehood or union territory status. This is where the ITLF sharply differs from the Kuki Inpi, who in July said only separate statehood is acceptable.

Finally, there’s also a discussion about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the crisis. Vualzong said the Kuki-Zo community felt let down by him. He said the prime minister had only spoken about the viral video that showed the sexual assault on two Kuki women out of “embarrassment”.

Watch the video for full details about the interview.