SIPHRO

Newmai News Network

Imphal, March 26, 2007: The Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) and the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) are now at the loggerheads following allegations of kidnapping of Kuki villagers by the latter.

Following the accusation that the UNLF had kidnapped about 400 Kuki villagers in collaboration with the Myanmarese military junta in the Indo-Myanmar border, the Manipur-based underground outfit termed the development as the game-plan of the Indian security forces. The UNLF further said that the Indian security forces have been using some Kuki organisations as their proxies on the issue of the alleged kidnapping of villagers.

The Manipur-based UNLF, while further terming the development at the border area as the tactics of India’s divisive efforts, said that it would be in the interest of all the communities existing in Manipur to endeavour towards attaining the harmonious co-existence instead of lending support to India’s divisive agenda.

The Kuki students under the aegis of the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) had staged a massive rally in New Delhi on March 23 in protest against the alleged abduction of the Kuki villagers.

Meanwhile, a few days ago, media persons from Imphal visited the border area to ascertain the facts of abduction of 400 villagers.

According to local newspapers here in Imphal, some villagers had told the visiting journalists that the claims of the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) and other Kuki bodies were not true.

The local newspapers said that the villagers who had interacted with the visiting media persons at Molcham village on the Indo-Myanmar border area informed that about 400 Kuki villagers had left their native villages before Christmas and set up a relief camp at TS Leijang.

The villagers also reportedly the move had been prompted by the fact that they could no longer stay at their villages owing to the ever intensifying clashes between the Indian security forces and the underground elements.

According to the newspapers, the villagers had informed the journalists that since the seed-sowing season had arrived they had started returning to their respective villages since March 13.