Kuki-Zo tribe protest for Manipur violence in Coimbatore:
“We belong to the Kuki-Zo community. My parents watched our home burn down at the foothills of the Tingkai Khunou (Aigejang) village in Kangpokpi district during the violence on May 3. We wanted to cry, but had no tears left. We witnessed several atrocities against the Kuki-Zo tribe by the Meitei [community] militia,” said Nemboi Haoki (32).
A resident in Coimbatore for a year, Ms. Haoki said this at a protest by the Manipur-native workers and students in the district with People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in Tatabad in Coimbatore city.
Clad in black ‘khamtong’ — the traditional Kuki-Zo tribe attire and black signifying sadness — the natives said the protest was to extend solidarity for the Kuki-Zo tribe in Manipur, condemn the Union Government over alleged inaction and demand the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
Lamtinthang Haokip, a social activist of Kangpokpi district and the Congress candidate from Manipur’s Saitu Assembly constituency, said the issues surfacing now were “only the tip of the iceberg” and that there was only “selective internet access to the Meitei community”.
“There are over 200 to 250 [of Kuki-Zo community] living in Coimbatore. We have had no issues with those belonging to the Meitei community in Coimbatore so far,” he added.
PUCL National Secretary S. Balamurugan said that for over 75 days the Centre and Manipur government had not taken “fruitful steps”. He added that people, especially women of Manipur must be protected and peace must be restored.
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