A wave of anger and grief has spread across Mizoram and Manipur following a series of violent incidents involving the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and alleged attacks on Zo ethnic communities. On Wednesday, the Mizoram Congress party condemned the ongoing violence in Manipur and expressed outrage over delays in repatriating Zo Martyrs to Lamka. The Congress Youth remarked that it finds it difficult to comprehend why the Manipur situation has persisted for 19 months, adding to tensions among communities in the region.
The escalating violence reached new heights last week with the brutal murder of a 31-year-old woman, Zosangkimi Hmar, in Zairawn village, Jiribam District. Reports state that following her murder, 11 Hmar village volunteers were killed by CRPF personnel during an altercation. Condemning the incident, the Mizoram Congress accused the CRPF of failing in its duty to protect civilians and claimed the paramilitary force has instead instilled fear in the region, reflecting what it perceives as the oppressive nature of the ruling BJP.
On Wednesday, the Central Coordination Committee (CCC) of the Young Mizo Association also issued a resolution, deeply condemning both the murder of Zosangkimi Hmar and the subsequent killing of 10 villagers by CRPF personnel, with one other individual injured. The CCC called for a thorough investigation by the central government to ensure accountability, justice, and support for the families of those who lost their lives. The association urged the government to bring the ongoing unrest in Manipur to an end.
Meanwhile, the Manipur Police released a statement defending the CRPF’s actions, claiming that the security forces were under attack by militants wielding sophisticated weapons, including RPGs and automatic rifles, at Borobekra, Jiribam District. The police report stated that 10 armed militants were killed during the crossfire, and a CRPF constable was injured. The statement added that the militants were identified as being from distant regions, raising concerns about organized infiltration in the district.
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Contrary to the police account, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) issued a statement denouncing the CRPF, alleging that its personnel had failed to protect villagers from attacks by Meitei militants. According to ITLF, CRPF troops stationed near Zairawn did not intervene during the attack, which led to the burning of homes and the death of the Hmar woman. The group condemned the CRPF’s alleged response to the Monday altercation, claiming that CRPF forces “brutally killed” 11 volunteers on patrol. The ITLF has urged the Kuki-Zo community to reconsider its perception of the CRPF as a neutral force, suggesting that recent casualties indicate a possible ambush by the CRPF and state forces.
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Kimi Colney, your article is extremely biased in favour of the kuki community. Your narrative is just to justify whatever crimes being carried out by them. Whenever the para military forces are defending your community’s interest you hail them as friends of the hills and when they perform their duties of defending their police/CRPF outpost at Jiribam from being fired and assaulted by the kuki militants, after which 11 kuki militants were killed in exchange of fire. The kuki militants were not shot at their bunkers or homes. They crossed rivers and travelled miles for the assault. Don’t spread wrong narrative. That will not help in resolving the crisis. It would rather fuel them. I hope your intention is not the later.
CONGRESS IS PLAYING DANGEROUS GAMES .WHAT NONSENSE CRPF IS NOT NUETRAL?? IT SHOULD TAKE NO SIDES.SHOOT TO KILL ANY INSURGENT.
/TERRORIST/ DRUG SMUGGLER REGARDLESS OF ANY TRIBE.THE PROTECTION OF NATION COMES FIRST.PERIOD