At a press conference held on September 22, 2024 at the Manipur Press Club, the Meitei Leepun (ML), a radical cultural organisation of Manipur, has reportedly issued a stern warning to human rights defender Babloo Loitongbam, accusing him of ongoing collaboration with the Kuki community and acting against the interests of the Meitei people.
As per a report in the Imphal Times, ML has particularly criticised Babloo’s stance on sheltering illegal immigrants, referencing a letter he had sent to a human rights organisation advocating for their protection. According to ML, this stance undermines the Meitei community’s interests. ML had previously directed Babloo to avoid public involvement or advocacy concerning the ongoing conflict in the state.
A local source from Imphal in touch with SabrangIndia has reported that on the morning of September 23, a group of at least 50 individuals affiliated with ML visited Babloo’s residence and issued threats to his family. In an open display of impunity, they warned the family that if Babloo makes any further public statements, they would face serious consequences.
Key accusations and statements by Meitei Leepun during the press conference:
Addressing the media, Yumlembam Prabinchandra, Tenggol Puba of Kakching, alleged that human rights activist Babloo was involved in harbouring the commander of the Women’s Wing of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) from Myanmar in 2023, prior to the beginning of the ethnic conflict in Manipur. The commander was reportedly given refuge in Imphal, where she was involved in monitoring local developments. ML claimed that Babloo facilitated her accommodation and travel, which they believe further escalated tensions.
ML also condemned Babloo for making what they described as inflammatory remarks, such as accusing the Meitei people of instigating the current conflict and alleging that there are no churches in the valley regions. They called on him to cease making such claims, which they argue are harmful to the community. Additionally, as per the report in the Imphal Times, ML accused Babloo, alongside the PDF Women’s Wing commander, of seeking assistance from the United Nations. They further claimed that Babloo has since received asylum in the United States, facilitated by a relative of a former Chief Minister of Manipur and the son of a former MLA, who is a lawyer. ML asserted that they have detailed information about these connections.
Furthermore, during the press meet, ML urged the public to distance themselves from Babloo, cautioning that they would not be held responsible for any repercussions. They also claimed to have evidence of financial dealings between Babloo and the Kuki community, which they plan to expose at a later stage.
In addition, ML criticised a Meitei advocate who had filed a case against the community in the Supreme Court. They alleged that this advocate had travelled to a European country and Vatican City, where the Kuki community had organised meetings with church leaders and NGOs to secure foreign funding. ML claimed that these funds were being used to purchase drone bombs and issued a warning to the advocate to stop such activities.
ML also expressed concern over an upcoming peace initiative being organised by the Manipur Meitei Association in Bangalore in collaboration with the Kuki community. The conference reportedly accuses the Meitei of committing genocide and blames them for starting the conflict. ML called for the immediate cancellation of the event, alleging that foreign funds from churches and NGOs were being used to organise it. They questioned how someone working against their own community could claim to represent it.
Furthermore, ML highlighted that foreign funding for NGOs in Kuki-majority areas like Churachandpur and Kangpokpi had been blocked by the Indian government. However, they accused NGOs in the valley of working with the Kuki community to funnel foreign funds, urging an end to such actions.
Concluding the press conference, ML called on all individuals involved in these activities to stop immediately, warning of further exposures and consequences.
Another observer of recent events, speaking to SabrangIndia on request of anonymity has, however, strongly refuted the allegations against Babloo Loitongbam. They clarified that the claim of Babloo harbouring the commander of the Women’s Wing of the PDF from Myanmar is false; the individual in question was a Norwegian woman who had overstayed her visa and sought legal assistance to return to her country. The source affirmed that Babloo had helped her with this process and labelled the allegations as unfounded. Additionally, claims from ML that Babloo was raising funds for Kuki groups and was in contact with organizations in Bangalore were also dismissed as baseless. The source suggested that ML’s primary motive for targeting Babloo is to silence him from speaking up on human rights violations occurring in Manipur. When asked about law enforcement’s response to the threats from ML, the source noted that authorities had not even investigated the vandalism of Babloo’s property in October 2023, raising doubts about any action they might take against ML given the current breakdown of law enforcement and the complete absence of accountability by the Manipur state government and law enforcement authorities.
Babloo Loitongbam’s advocacy against Manipur violence despite facing attacks and threats:
Babloo Loitongbam, a prominent human rights defender and lawyer from Manipur, India, serves as the director of Human Rights Alert, an organisation dedicated to monitoring, investigating, and reporting human rights violations, including attacks on human rights defenders. Over the years, Babloo has been a key advocate for victims of persecution and has provided crucial support to human rights defenders facing reprisals. He is known for his outspoken criticism of state policies that discriminate against local communities in Manipur and across other north-eastern states of India.
For the past 16 months, ethnic violence has ravaged Manipur, a state of around 2.85 million people. The conflict has claimed 235 lives, left thousands wounded, and displaced hundreds of thousands. What started as a clash between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kuki groups has now deepened into bitter, seemingly irreparable divisions within Manipuri society.
Since the beginning of the ethnic violence in Manipur, Babloo has received threats for all this advocacy and work to address the violence in Manipur. Babloo has consistently condemned the escalating violence and held the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government responsible for its handling of the crisis. He has also been raising alarms over the influence of radical groups in the state. Babloo Loitongbam had also spoken publicly about the emergence of certain groups such as Meiiti Leepun in the state, comparing them to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the ideological arm of the ruling BJP party. He spoke about the increasing far-right ideology being instilled in the Meitei community by these groups, and about how they have been responsible for attacks against minority communities, including the dismantling of churches across the state, since the violence began. He also publicly demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Biren Singh for not taking adequate actions to contain the violence in the state.
On October 5, shortly after Meitei Leepun’s call to boycott him, Babloo’s home in Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai, Imphal West, was attacked by approximately 30 unidentified individuals who arrived in two vehicles. They vandalised his property around 6 p.m., while Babloo was reportedly out of town at the time of the attack. Meitei Leepun also announced a boycott against former additional superintendent of police Thounaojam Brinda, preventing her from making public statements until the unrest in Manipur is resolved.
After the attack and vandalism, the United Nations Human Rights Council had expressed serious concern over the threats made against Babloo by Meitei groups, including Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tengol. The UN urged Indian authorities to protect Babloo, his family, and his home, and to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held accountable. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the UN Human Rights office had emphasised their alarm over the threats and demanded immediate protection for Babloo.
Earlier to the attack on his property, in July 2023, Babloo Loitongbam had represented the Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA) at the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva. His presentation brought attention to the ongoing human rights abuses in Manipur, particularly commemorating the 20th anniversary of Anti-Repression Day, which protests against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Babloo criticised the continued use of AFSPA, remarking that even when substantial prosecutable evidence is presented by India’s leading investigative agency, the Union Home Ministry consistently denies prosecution approval.
In his address, Babloo had also highlighted the deadly violence in Manipur that had begun in May 2023 and is yet to be brought under control. (Details on recent bouts of violence can be read here, here, here and here) As per the report of India Today NE, Babloo had further condemned the government’s inadequate response, noting, “The indifference of the armed forces actively increased the civilian death toll and escalated cycles of raids and counter-raids on the civilian population.” Babloo urged the UN committee to declare AFSPA incompatible with international human rights standards, both in law and practice, and to recommend actions aligned with India’s international legal obligations.
He emphasised the ongoing human rights violations in Manipur, stating, “The basic rights of Manipur’s citizens—regardless of their gender, age, religion, or ethnicity—have been stripped away, as the Indian government systematically abdicated its Responsibility to protect the population.”
Through his UN briefing, Babloo had brought much-needed international attention to the crisis in Manipur, pushing for accountability and action to address the escalating human rights abuses in the region.
Meitei Leepun, its radical leader and his growing threat in Manipur
M. Pramot Singh, the leader of Meitei Leepun, has become a feared yet “revered figure” among a large section of the Meitei community. Many view him as a demagogue, influencing Meitei youth with his considerable following. Singh’s supporters guard him closely at his fortified office atop Meitei Langhol Hill in Imphal, where he keeps a loaded gun nearby and occasionally issues commands via a wireless set.
Singh is deemed to one of the most polarising figures in Manipur, with Kukis accusing him of inciting violence. The Kukis allege that Singh’s cadres are embedded within the Manipur police force. Additionally, concerns have been raised about his close ties with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. Despite the controversy, Meitei Leepun has gained a large and armed following. According to Singh, over a thousand members of his group are trained in weaponry, and he refers to them as “lallois,” a term rooted in Manipur’s warrior traditions. Singh claims to have more than 1,000 lallois and around 14,000 “paojellois” in Imphal, who act as evangelists spreading his message. He notes that their numbers continue to grow.
As per his interview with The Week in August 2023, Singh had asserted that the Meiteis are the true indigenous people of Manipur and views the ongoing conflict as inevitable. He had argued in the interview that Manipur represents unity in diversity and emphasises that the Meitei community has historically been welcoming to outsiders, including the Kukis, who he claims are not native to the region. Singh’s primary concern, however, was that the continued influx of Chin Kukis crossing the India-Myanmar border and settling in the hills before allegedly infiltrating the valley. He criticises the government and Army for failing to address this illegal migration, which he says has led to lawlessness and extortion by alleged Kuki militants.
Singh framed the Meitei people as warriors, following the legacy of their ancestors who defended the land for millennia. He advocates for the revival of the lallup-kaba system, an ancient practice that required Meitei men to serve in the army or work in distant lands. The British had abolished this system, labelling it as forced labour, but Singh and his movement now view it as essential to protecting Meitei land. For Singh, Meitei Leepun is a movement united in this cause.
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