Kom body urges to protect Kom community from Manipur crisis, Mary Kom writes to Amit Shah to let security forces impartial

Imphal: Kom Union Manipur has urged the larger communities of the state to save Kom community clarifying that the community has no power to involve in the present crisis by taking sides of any community in the present turmoil.

Advisor of the Kom union, Boyes Kom on Friday was speaking to reporters at KR Lane Baptist Church, located at KR Lane, New Checkon, Imphal East, on Friday.

After a farmer was attacked by some armed miscreants on Tuesday at Naranseina, gunfight has been continued in Narenseina and its corresponding areas. A rumour was spread that with the appeal from Kom villagers of Kangthei village in Churachandpur located near Narenseina and Khoirentak, central forces fired towards Meitei villagers killing two village defence forces at Thamnapokpi on Thursday, Boyes said.

He clarified that Kom community is not involved in the present crisis and the community is a minority community. He urged major communities to protect the Kom community.

Former MP, Rajya Sabha, MC Mary Kom submitted a memorandum to Union Home minister, Amit Shah through e-mail on Friday. Through the memorandum she requested to all the deployed members of the Indian Army, paramilitary, and state forces to be impartial in carrying out their responsibilities to safeguard the population and to be successful in maintaining peace and normalcy in the state.

In the memorandum she also informed that “we (Kom) are not a part of the current Meitei & Kuki-Zo conflict, which started on May 3, 2023. Even so, we have been affected by the wave in a several aspects though untold. It should be noted that none of the Kom villages engage armed volunteers with bunkers, but because they are all dispersed between the two rivalling communities and in the periphery, there are always speculations and doubts against my community from both sides, and we are caught in the middle of all problems. The terrible thing is that, due to our weak internal administration and tiny size as a community, we have not been able to stand against any forces that intrude our jurisdiction. Hence, we seek the help of the security forces to prevent both warring groups from intrusion to Kom villages.”

Boyes said the Kom union had already announced that any steps taken by any individual of the community in the crisis without the consent of the union will be taken as their sole responsibility.