The Kuki Village Volunteers Wednesday issued a stern warning against a proposed “march to hills” on March 8 by the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS), an Imphal-based conglomerate of Meitei civil society bodies. The FOCS termed the proposed march as a “peace Initiative” following a directive by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to security forces to ensure free movement of all the people in the state from March 8. In a statement, the Kuki Village Volunteers-Eastern Zone said, “There will be no free movement in Kuki areas before the establishment of a separate administration/Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki people”. “The relentless injustices, inhumane atrocities, and systematic oppression committed against our people cannot be ignored. under the pretence of peaceful marches. Those who have inflicted suffering on Kuki-Zo people, those who have taken innocent lives. will not be allowed free passage into our lands. Our demand for a separate administration is not just a political aspiration but a necessity for our survival, security and dignity,” it said. The statement said any attempting to reconcile with the “perpetrators” through the government before a separate administration/UT was established would face severe consequences.
