How Meitei Terrorists Staged a Fake Drama to Desecrate a Church

Based on a video footage released by suspected UNLF and Arambai Tenggol terrorists themselves on social media, this article attempts to decode how Govajang village, the last standing village in Khamenlok area of Saikul subdivision, Kangpokpi district, was burnt down with a staged drama.

1. INTRODUCTION

Govajang village is the last, and lone remaining village in Khamenlok area of Saikul subdivision, Kangpokpi district. Khamenlok area has ten(10) Kuki villages, namely 1. Khopibung (where Florence & Olivia, the two Kuki girls gangraped and murdered by Meitei terrorists belong), 2. Khamenlok, 3. Chullouphai, 4. Phainom, 5. Aigejang (the village with the church wherein scores of them died), 6. Leikot, 7. Thombol, 8. Jordanphai, 9. Songjang and 10. Govajang. This area was attacked and burnt down, except for a few houses, by the Meitei mob led by Manipur Commandos and Arambai Tenggol combatants, with the support of Col. Akash Oinam, a Meitei Army officer, on 13-14 June 2023. Meitei villages such as Ujumpok and Nongsum are just a stone throw away from Khopibung, the nearest Kuki village.

2. THE PREPARATION 

One day before the Meitei terrorists attacked Satang Moulsang and Govajang, i.e. on 26 January 2024, Meitei social media handles began to post messages saying they are moving toward Khamenlok area. Voice recordings and WhatsApp messages were also released as if it were from the intelligence department of Arambai Tenggol! Remember, any sane person will never share their plan to attack on social media.

3. THE ATTACK 

In the wee hours of 27 January 2024, a group of Meitei Terrorists attacked Kuki volunteers guarding their hills at Satang Moulsang, killing one of them in the process. In a facebook live video later posted on facebook, heavily armed Meitei miscreants in combat fatigues, claiming themselves to be cadres of UNLF/MPA and declaring it was them who attacked the Kuki villages and its volunteers. 

Later on, a series of video footage emerged on social media platforms where a group of armed Meiteis suspected to be Arambai Tenggol showed themselves as the Heroes. Here, we are referring to the series of incidents which allegedly happened in Govajang. It may be remembered that the village was abandoned since it was partially burnt down in June of last year.

4. THE VIRAL VIDEOS

Video-1: A staged drama of an alleged ambush was recorded live on Facebook just in front of a Church. In the video, the incident occurred when a bullet proof vehicle was approaching towards the Church when a bullet hit the front BP glass.

Video-2: A video shows the front glass of the bullet proof vehicle where the armed miscreants nearby were seen enjoying their drama.
Video-3: Some armed miscreants were seen shooting automatic weapons through the window inside a Church.

Video-4: Inside a Church, a group of Meitei men in combat attires conducted a mock marriage ceremony, one acting as the Priest, and another two as the bride and groom. In the video, the one acting as the priest holds a Bible and says in a sarcastic manner that he respects Jesus but wants to kill all the Kukis for which he asks for help. He also said some words as in a marriage ceremony, and gave them a cup each filled with liquor. If this is not blasphemy, what could it be? In a secular country like India, nothing can be worse than desecrating a Church, making fun of Jesus and the Christian faith, and drinking alcohol using the Holy Chalice, and burning and destroying a church.

Video-5: Another video shows a burning Church.

Video-6: A Church was pulled down using JCB.

Video-7: In a video, a Meitei man [possibly the one taking the video] is heard saying they have completely torched the village, including the Church. This video seemingly was recorded at dusk.

Video-8: Much later, another video went viral supposedly taken by a Kuki village volunteer, in which the pulpit [stage area] of the Church was seen completely charred. The voice behind the camera supposedly spoken by the one taking the video says he feels so sorry for he can’t put-off the fire since there was neither water nor the manpower to do so!

Video-9: A group of armed Meitei miscreants were seen stealing Jonglha (Jongchak in Manipuri). In an image shared widely on social media, an armed Meitei man was seen carrying [stealing?] a Gas Cylinder over his head.

Video-10: A video shows how a drone guides the vehicle carrying Korounganba, C-in-C Arambai Tenggol, and his brigade towards the Kuki-Zo areas.

5. THE ANALYSIS 

Later in the evening, some Meitei social media handles, showing a screengrab of the front glass of the bullet proof car, claimed that a passenger vehicle was attacked by Kuki militants. 

Mr. Philem Rohan Singh, the fake Meitei Christian, posted an angry message on his facebook page saying all his efforts to tell the world that the war was not against the Christians turns upside-down. He also appealed his people and community to at least respect the Lord Jesus, if not the Christians, as it could invite unnecessary backlash from the Christian world including the Nagas. However, Mr Korounganba shared a facebook post justifying the act.

Our take: Oh, they drove a passenger bullet proof vehicle [nearly 10km from the nearest Meitei village] to visit [rather destroy?] Churches and took up some acts of thievery! 700 sq.m. Meitei Leipak na Yaifare!

(Thingkho le Malcha: 28-01-2024)