The Manipur police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Muan Tombing, the General Secretary of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of recognised tribes in Manipur, on charges of allegedly conspiring for “waging a war” against the government of India.
The FIR was filed against Tombing after the Officer in charge (OC) of Churachandpur police station inspector N. Thangzamuan filed a complaint against him over the ITLF’s call for a “self-governed separate administration” in the districts of Manipur that are dominated by people of the Kuki-Zo community.
The FIR, vide number 2938(11)2023, was registered under sections 121A (Conspiracy for waging, or attempting to wage war, against the government of India, 124A (sedition), 153 (intentional provocation of riots), and 120B (criminal conspiracy), of the Indian Penal Code.
Earlier, the Manipur government, through a press note, issued by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), while condemning the call for self-government by ITLF, said that the statement by the organisation has no legal or constitutional basis. The state government also said that the irresponsible statement appears to be motivated and aimed at vitiating and disturbing the law and order situation in the state. The government further said that appropriate legal action is being initiated against the ITLF and the persons concerned.
The ITLF on Wednesday threatened to establish a self-governed separate administration in areas where the Kuki-Zo tribes have a majority. The organisation also said that the Central government is yet to accept their demand for a separate administration even after over six months of ethnic clashes in the state.
The over six-month-long ethnic clashes in Manipur have so far claimed over 180 lives and internally displaced more than 60,000 people. The unceasing violence has also left over a thousand people injured. Many are still reported missing.
While Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and mostly live in the valley districts of Imphal East and Imphal West, the tribal communities constitute 40 per cent of the state’s population and live mostly in the hill districts.