Churachandpur (Manipur): More civil society organisations and bodies from the Kuki-zo community have announced that they will boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, saying “no justice, no vote” following fresh incidents of violence in the conflict-hit state.
While two people were killed in a gunfight that broke out between two armed groups in Imphal East district on Saturday, three people were injured in a gunbattle between armed village volunteers and unidentified people in Tengnoupal district on Friday.
The Kukis have already declared that they are not fielding any candidate in the parliamentary polls as an act of boycott.
The Global Kuki-Zomi-Hmar Women community, a group of Kuki-Zo women, including journalists, social workers, former Outer Manipur MP Kim Gangte and leaders of the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar women’s forums in Delhi, had earlier written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, informing him of its decision to boycott the polls.
Following suit, two more bodies -- Kuki National Assembly and Kuki Inpi -- have joined the chorus against the parliamentary election.
“We express our dissatisfaction with our leaders. It is disheartening that Indian forces, which are capable of preventing and countering threats from China and Pakistan, have failed to protect innocent citizens from terrorists. This has led to a loss of faith in the Indian Constitution and the country’s claim that it is the world’s largest democracy,” said Mangboi Haokip, a spokesperson of the Kuki National Assembly.
“We feel compelled to abstain from voting in the Lok Sabha election to express our anguish towards the Indian leadership. If suffering is deemed our right in India, then we choose not to participate in the election. This boycott serves as a means to convey our pain and suffering to India and the world,” Haokip added.
The state has witnessed sporadic, sometimes intense, ethnic clashes since May 3 last year between the majority Meitei community and the Kukis, resulting in the loss of more than 200 lives.