To Whom it May Concern
Date:
25th March 2024
Subject: Boycott
Lok Sabha Election 2024
For over 10
months the Kuki-Zo tribal community has been dealing with the aftermath of the violence that erupted on May 3rd
2023. We have not only borne the brunt of the
state-sponsored violence unleashed on us by the radicalized Meiteis, but
have been completely ignored and
disregarded by the governments, both at the center and the state. Adding insult to our injuries,
we’re now expected to put everything on hold and participate in the upcoming 18th Lok Sabha election 2024.
Until and unless
our grievances receive satisfactory redress and justice is delivered, we must band together and boycott this sham
of a process. It is perfectly democratic and a
constitutional & legal right each of us have to express our
displeasure in a non-violent form.
This is the loudest and clearest way to demonstrate that there is an absence of political representation for the Kuki-Zo
people and all is not well with the great Indian democracy.
Let’s have a glance at Villages/
organizations/ citizens of India who have declared
BOYCOTT of 18th Lok Sabha election 2024:
1.
In Madurai, Tamil Nadu, a collective decision to boycott
the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections has been made by residents
of Tirumangalam Municipality, members of the Traders Association and motorists in
protest against the Kappalur Toll Plaza. They
allege that the Toll Plaza has been set up in violation of regulations. Read more at:
https://news.abplive.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-tamil-nadu-madurai-reside nts-to-boycott-ls-polls-kappalur-toll-plaza-1670108
2.
Mangalururu: Over 150 families of Manimajalu in Sullia
taluk have announced to boycott the
Lok Sabha election to be held on 26th April, 2024. The reason for their boycott is due to the lack of proper
roads despite their demand for the past 4
years.
Read more at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/150-families-wait-for-road-for- 4yrs-village-to-boycott-polls/articleshow/108720293.cms
3.
Mysuru: Residents of over a dozen villages in the deep
jungles of Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife
Sanctuary in Hanur Taluk of Chamarajanagar district have declared to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha election due to
lack of basic amenities and neglect
of their villages by the elected representatives.
Read more at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/yet-again-residents-of-12-villages
-in-mm-hills-to-boycott-voting/articleshow/108741169.cms
4.
The residents of Hanchinal village in Wadagera taluk
have threatened to boycott the
parliamentary elections, stating that the village was completely neglected by the administration in providing basic facilities, especially sufficient drinking water.
Read more at:
https://www.inkl.com/news/residents-of-hachinal-village-threaten-to-boycott-electi
ons
5.
Bazpur residents of Udham Simgh Nagar district to
boycott Lok Sabha polls over land
dispute.
Read more at:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/bazpur-bhoomi-bachao-andola n-residents-threaten-ls-polls-boycott/articleshow/108555587.cms
Now you may ask: why should the
Kuki-Zo boycott? Here are some of the reasons:
1. When you
analyze the people/ organizations who have already declared BOYCOTT of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 it
gives the Kuki-Zo community the obvious
and valid reasons in addition to the lack of basic amenities like proper roads,
drinking water, street lights
& so on…when:
(a)
20 of our Kuki-Zo women were raped & killed/
strangled to death/ lynched to
death/ shot dead/ mutilated & burnt besides paraded naked, raped, attacked by Meitei mobs.
(b) More than
168 Kuki-Zo died and no NIA or CBI enquiry was done for the most heinous crime like beheading and
burning Kuki-Zo men alive.
(c) More than 360 Kuki-Zo
churches/ synagogues burnt
(d) More than 200 villages &
7000 houses burnt
(e) More than
42k Kuki-Zo IDPs languishing in relief camps & all over the country.
A clear form of Discrimination
of IDPs settled outside Manipur
●
The eligible voters among the more than
9,000 displaced people from
strife-ravaged Manipur who are now living in Mizoram appear unlikely to be able to vote in this
general election. https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/9000-electors-now-in-mi zoram-cloud-on-displaced-manipur-voters-ahead-of-lok-sabha-polls
●
No Voting Arrangement So Far For Those Displaced In Manipur:
Official
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-no-votin g-arrangement-so-far-for-those-displaced-in-manipur-official-52703 72
(f) The Kuki-Zo community have been branded as illegal immigrants, poppy cultivators, narco terrorists, and most recently called as “Monkeys” by none other than the Chief Minister Shri. N. Biren Singh.
2. Within India’s
democratic framework, boycotting the election is the most effective way of voicing our displeasure regarding
the failure of the government’s constitutional
duties and leaving our people to languish with no hope for any redressal. India takes pride in calling
itself the world’s largest democracy. It will
be an embarrassment on the global stage if an aggrieved section of its
populace boycotts the election as it
is a show of its democratic prowess. We will get their attention all right. This will give us an opportunity to
negotiate and push our demands
forward.
3. A lone
Member of Parliament (MP) has little to no leverage in the grand scheme of Indian politics. Any MP belonging to a
national party will be forced to prioritize
the party’s manifesto over the community’s aspirations. Even when they
decide to speak for our people in
Parliament they can be easily silenced as in the case of Pu Vanlalvella, the MP from Mizoram, whose microphone was
switched off when he tried to speak
out about the Manipur crisis.
4. As the
Model Code of Conduct comes into effect, all areas participating in the upcoming elections will be mandated to
surrender and deposit their licensed guns
to the state police authorities. If we are to engage in the election process we would be compelled to comply with the
regulations which will leave our
frontlines
defenseless. Our Village Volunteers will be stripped of the little arms supply they have, rendering them unable to
protect our villages and towns from any
attacks from the Meitei radicals.
5. Demographic
figures are stacked against us. A small community like ours just does not have the numbers to win an MP
seat on our own. In the current situation no major party has offered
any tickets to any Kuki-Zo
candidate, not to mention
that a significant part of the Outer-Manipur constituency includes Thoubal and Jiribam, areas that are Meitei
dominated. It is highly unlikely that Meiteis
or Nagas will vote for a Kuki-Zo candidate.
●
[1] Lok Sabha Election 2024: Orders issued to deposit
licensed guns in Manipur (https://www.ifp.co.in/manipur/lok-sabha-election-2024-orders-issued-to-deposit-li
censed-guns-in-manipur)
●
[2] City Police call for submission of licenced
weapons (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/108359864.cms?utm_source=con tentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst)
Source: Social Media
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