<p>Guwahati: Hundreds belonging to Kuki-Zo communities in conflict-torn Manipur's Churachandpur district on Thursday paid their last tributes to 12 persons killed in Jiribam, recently while the "village volunteers" offered "gun salutes" before the bodies of the deceased were laid to rest.</p><p>The deceased included 10 persons, belonging to the Hmar community, who were killed by the CRPF during a "gunfight" in Jiribam on November 11, and a woman, who was allegedly killed by Meitei militants four days before. </p>.Women's commission sets up team to probe into killing of women and children in Manipur.<p>Manipur police claimed that the 10 were "armed militants" and were killed in retaliation after they attacked a CRPF camp and the Borobekra police station. But Kuki-Zo organisations said they were not militants but "village volunteers," who gathered following input about entry of Meitei armed militants. </p><p>The bodies were airlifted from Silchar Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Assam to Churachandpur on November 17, but the Kuki-Zo organisation refused to accept them without their post-mortem reports.</p><p>On Thursday, hundreds lined up at the Peace Ground in Tuibong, where leaders belonging to Kuki-Zo communities spoke and demanded judicial inquiry into the killings, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) said in a statement after the funeral. </p><p>The "village volunteers" raised their guns and fired several rounds in the air in order to offer "gun salute." The bodies were later buried at the Martyr's cemetery, ITLF said. </p>.Arms recovered from Manipur's Thoubal.<p>The ITLF further said post-mortem stated that the 10 received bullet injuries from behind, suggesting that they were not engaged in a gun fight with the security forces as claimed by Manipur police. </p><p>Mizoram MLA and CM's advisor, Ginzalal Hauzel and a delegation of the Young Mizo Association from Mizoram attended the funeral and also condemned the killings of the 12. Mizos share ethnic ties with the Kuki-Zo communities. </p><p><strong>A "failed state"</strong></p><p>In a memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the ITLF alleged that the state has failed to protect the normal citizens in the past 19 months, forcing normal citizens to procure arms to defend themselves. <br>"As for the CRPF, it should remind its men on the ground of its purpose and act as neutral force from now on and stand firm against the designs and actions of the communal state government and sections of the majority community (Meitei) that are trying to carry out genocide against the minority Kuki-Zo tribes," ITLF said in the memorandum. </p><p><strong>Path to peace</strong></p><p>Stating that military enforced tranquility can not bring permanent peace in the state which has remained physically divided , the ITLF said a political solution that will ensure physical safety and dignity for all citizens is the only way forward. </p><p>"We urge you to start laying the groundwork for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo people under the aegis of the Indian Constitution so that we can live a life free of discrimination and subjugation."</p>
<p>Guwahati: Hundreds belonging to Kuki-Zo communities in conflict-torn Manipur's Churachandpur district on Thursday paid their last tributes to 12 persons killed in Jiribam, recently while the "village volunteers" offered "gun salutes" before the bodies of the deceased were laid to rest.</p><p>The deceased included 10 persons, belonging to the Hmar community, who were killed by the CRPF during a "gunfight" in Jiribam on November 11, and a woman, who was allegedly killed by Meitei militants four days before. </p>.Women's commission sets up team to probe into killing of women and children in Manipur.<p>Manipur police claimed that the 10 were "armed militants" and were killed in retaliation after they attacked a CRPF camp and the Borobekra police station. But Kuki-Zo organisations said they were not militants but "village volunteers," who gathered following input about entry of Meitei armed militants. </p><p>The bodies were airlifted from Silchar Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Assam to Churachandpur on November 17, but the Kuki-Zo organisation refused to accept them without their post-mortem reports.</p><p>On Thursday, hundreds lined up at the Peace Ground in Tuibong, where leaders belonging to Kuki-Zo communities spoke and demanded judicial inquiry into the killings, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) said in a statement after the funeral. </p><p>The "village volunteers" raised their guns and fired several rounds in the air in order to offer "gun salute." The bodies were later buried at the Martyr's cemetery, ITLF said. </p>.Arms recovered from Manipur's Thoubal.<p>The ITLF further said post-mortem stated that the 10 received bullet injuries from behind, suggesting that they were not engaged in a gun fight with the security forces as claimed by Manipur police. </p><p>Mizoram MLA and CM's advisor, Ginzalal Hauzel and a delegation of the Young Mizo Association from Mizoram attended the funeral and also condemned the killings of the 12. Mizos share ethnic ties with the Kuki-Zo communities. </p><p><strong>A "failed state"</strong></p><p>In a memorandum addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the ITLF alleged that the state has failed to protect the normal citizens in the past 19 months, forcing normal citizens to procure arms to defend themselves. <br>"As for the CRPF, it should remind its men on the ground of its purpose and act as neutral force from now on and stand firm against the designs and actions of the communal state government and sections of the majority community (Meitei) that are trying to carry out genocide against the minority Kuki-Zo tribes," ITLF said in the memorandum. </p><p><strong>Path to peace</strong></p><p>Stating that military enforced tranquility can not bring permanent peace in the state which has remained physically divided , the ITLF said a political solution that will ensure physical safety and dignity for all citizens is the only way forward. </p><p>"We urge you to start laying the groundwork for a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo people under the aegis of the Indian Constitution so that we can live a life free of discrimination and subjugation."</p>