Imphal: Manipur’s Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community in the hill areas submitted a memorandum to BJP chief JP Nadda in the wake of the present conflict for protection of the minority community.
Highlighting various disadvantages and grievances faced by the minority community, the memorandum submitted on June 4, stated that the population of Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community in Manipur as enumerated in 2011 census is 63,756, adding that the Sanatan Hindu minority community have been inhabiting the state for a very long period.
“The Nepali Gorkha Community belonging to Sanatan Hindu believe in Vasudeba kutumbakam and have been co-existing by maintaining a cordial and harmonious relationship with all the communities both in the valley and hills,” it stated.
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Further, stating that the majority of the Nepali community belongs to farmers, retired defense personal, small business groups and marginalized labourers, the memorandum to JP Nadda informed that the Nepali Gorkha settlements are scattered in various districts of Manipur of which the majority are concentrated in the Kangpokpi and the Senapati district in the hill areas and also a significant numbers of population is found in Imphal West district, Imphal East district, Kakching district, Tengnoupal district including the boarders town of Moreh.
While the memorandum pointed out 154 Nepali speaking Gorkha villages in the Kangpokpi district dominated by the Kuki community, “where both the Kuki militants under suspension of operation (SoO) and various non SoO Kuki militants groups are operating, it also added that the present ethnic crisis has badly affected the Nepali minority community across the state.
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Furthermore, the memorandum outlined the challenges where SoO and various non SoO Kuki militants demand “heavy extortion, including the forcefully taking away their herds has become the normal affairs of the day, even even demanding purchase of sophisticated weapons,” it added.
“The affected Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community from Kakching district (Serou), Tengnoupal district (Moreh town), Imphal East (Sadu Lampak, Saikul, Pukhao, Ingkhomang, Ekou area) and the others adjacent areas had fled to safe areas,” stated the memorandum.
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While requesting for stationing the security battalion headquarter at the Parsain, Suntolabari GP, Kangpokpi District, for which they are “ready to provide land” for the safety and security of their life, liberty and property, it stated that the minority community of some vulnerable and sensitive villages like Irang part 1, Irang part 2, Toribari, Kalapahar, Parsaln Basti, Suntolabari, Setikhola, Amala Dara, Tokpa Gopibung, Kolpejang, Charhajare, Kanglatongbi, Liemakhong, Saikul, Pukhao need immediate permanent security.
“We therefore approach your goodwill office with an earnest appeal to look into the grievances of the Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community for safeguarding the rights and privileges and also by providing secure and safe environment with the necessary security deployment so that the SoO ground rules the strictly adhere and non-SoO groups be completely banished and all the weapons carried out by civilians be disarmed,” the memorandum stated.
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