Indigenous residents of Manipur border town seek PM Narendra Modi’s intervention

The council urged the Prime Minister to settle and rehabilitate all the people driven out of Moreh by the Kuki Militants and their supporters since 1991.

In a memorandum to the PM, the Council said Moreh was established by the Meitei, Tangkhul, Tamil, Punjabi and Meitei Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) communities. The influx of Kukis occurred later, with a significant portion being deemed "illegal immigrants" from Burma (now Myanmar).

Accusing the Kuki militants and their supporters of indulging in "ethnic cleansing" of the various communities from Moreh post 1991, the council said all individuals compelled to leave Moreh should be not only resettled but also rehabilitated in their rightful place—Moreh.

Meitei and other communities fled Moreh following a crisis on May 3 last year. Pending the implementation of such resettlements, no Kuki family, including those currently residing in Moreh, should be permitted to continue to stay, the memorandum said.

It called for restoring a harmonious and inclusive coexistence among the various communities that form the fabric of Moreh's rich heritage.

The Council also submitted a detailed history of the Kabaw valley being a part of the erstwhile Manipur Kingdom, agreements between Manipur Kings and Burmese Kings, leasing out of Kabaw valley to Burma in 1834 by paying annual tax to the King of Manipur until the state's integration into India, as also the establishment of Moreh in 1888 by the Manipur King.

The memorandum alleged that after the May 3 incident, the Kuki militants and their supporters attacked Meiteis, Tamils, Punjabis, Meitei Pangal, Biharis and Nepalis by burning down their homes, and driving them out of Moreh.

The memorandum demanded action against the "illegal immigrants" who now control Moreh and the restoration of peace and tranquillity.

(With UNI Inputs)