New Delhi: The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has condemned the recent killing of six Meitei women and children in Jiribam district, calling it a “heinous act” carried out by militants. In a statement released on Tuesday, KOHUR urged the authorities to apprehend those responsible for this tragic incident and ensure justice for the victims.
The bodies of the six victims, three women and three children from the Meitei community, were discovered in the Jiri and Barak rivers, located in the neighbouring districts of Jiribam and Cachar, following a gunfight between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants on November 11. The violent exchange of fire had led to the deaths of 10 insurgents, and the subsequent disappearance of the six individuals sparked outrage in the state.
KOHUR stressed the importance of impartial justice
KOHUR stressed the importance of impartial justice, stating that “the killing of fellow human beings, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, must be condemned by all”. The organisation also reiterated the Kuki-Zo people’s commitment to never targeting civilians, even during times of conflict. “We beseech the law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators behind these heinous acts,” the statement continued.
The statement also raised concerns over the unequal attention given by both the state government and national media when Meitei victims are involved. KOHUR accused the authorities of overlooking the killings of Kuki-Zo women and children in similar circumstances since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the Meiteis and the Kukis. “Kuki-Zo women and children have been killed, burned, and mutilated as if they were animals,” KOHUR claimed.
‘Insurgents killed in the November gunfight were Kuki-Zo volunteers’
Furthermore, the organisation called for investigations into the deaths of a one-month-old baby and a seven-year-old boy, who was “burnt alive” in an ambulance alongside his mother during the initial violence in May. KOHUR also alleged that the 10 insurgents killed in the November gunfight were Kuki-Zo volunteers who were shot from behind after having a conversation with the CRPF. The group called for the prosecution of the CRPF personnel responsible, labelling their actions as a “crime against humanity”.
