Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup submits a memorandum and signature campaign to the Manipur Governor seeking the release of four Arambai Tengol volunteers and a general amnesty.
Imphal, June 26: The Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur, accompanied by a signature campaign, seeking the unconditional release of four Arambai Tenggol volunteers recently arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The organisation also appealed to the authorities to refrain from making further arrests of Arambai Tengol members and other village volunteers and to consider granting them a general amnesty.
Representatives of the women's body submitted the memorandum after conducting a signature campaign among residents of the Uripok area. According to the organisation, the campaign reflected public support for its demand that the four detained volunteers be released and that legal action against village volunteers who emerged during the ethnic conflict be reconsidered.
The memorandum, addressed to the Governor of Manipur, argues that the circumstances prevailing since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, compelled many local youths to take up the role of defending their villages.
According to the memorandum, Arambai Tenggol and village defenders stepped forward after violence broke out across several parts of the state. The organisation claimed that the volunteers acted to protect Meetei villages and civilians during the conflict and should therefore not be viewed as anti-national elements or terrorists.
The memorandum contends that the volunteers were motivated by the need to defend their communities rather than engage in activities against the Indian state. On that basis, it urges both the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to announce a general amnesty for members of Arambai Tenggol and other village volunteers.
The document also refers to the Governor's earlier appeal for the surrender of illegally held weapons in both the hill and valley districts. It states that Arambai Tenggol members, along with many women, responded by surrendering their arms to the authorities. The organisation argues that this should be taken into consideration while reviewing the cases involving the volunteers.
In its detailed representation, the Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup recounts the events following the outbreak of violence in May 2023. The memorandum alleges that thousands of Meetei residents were displaced from parts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Moreh, villages adjoining Kuki settlements in Imphal East district, and some areas of Kakching district after attacks during the conflict.
It further alleges that armed attacks involving sophisticated weapons, drones and rockets targeted villages located in peripheral areas of the valley. These claims are presented in the memorandum and have not been independently verified.
The organisation also criticises the response of the security forces during the initial phase of the conflict. According to the memorandum, many local youths volunteered to defend villages because they believed the security agencies had failed to adequately protect lives and property. It states that the volunteers took up arms under what it describes as extraordinary circumstances rather than with the intention of waging war against the nation.
The memorandum further claims that several members of the Meitei community remain untraceable after entering Kuki-dominated areas during the violence. It also raises concerns over alleged poppy cultivation, environmental degradation and demographic changes in certain hill districts. These assertions form part of the memorandum submitted to the Governor.
Describing Arambai Tenggol as a socio-cultural organisation, the Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup states that the group was originally established to revive and preserve the cultural identity of the Meitei community through religious and cultural activities. According to the memorandum, its members later assumed the role of village defenders after violence engulfed the state.
The memorandum also cites previous remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Manipur crisis and refers to what it describes as the surrender of weapons by Arambai Tenggol volunteers following appeals from the authorities.
According to the organisation, many volunteers have since returned to normal civilian life. It states that some have resumed higher education, while others have returned to farming, entrepreneurship and other professions after the overall security situation improved.
However, the organisation says the recent arrests of four Arambai Tenggol volunteers in connection with criminal cases linked to the period of intense violence have created anxiety among sections of the public. The memorandum argues that continued arrests could generate fresh public unrest at a time when the situation in the state has shown signs of stabilising.
The Uripok Nupi Apunba Lup maintains that the sacrifices made by village volunteers during the conflict deserve recognition rather than prosecution. It contends that granting general amnesty would serve humanitarian interests and help promote lasting peace in the state.
In its concluding appeal, the organisation requested the Governor to intervene personally by directing the concerned authorities to secure the unconditional release of the four arrested volunteers, halt further arrests of Arambai Tenggol members and other village volunteers, and facilitate the announcement of a general amnesty. The memorandum was submitted along with signatures collected from residents of the Uripok area in support of the demands.
