Mark Haokip a self-styled president of secessionist outfit: Manipur IGP

Mark Haokip was allegedly involved in a conspiracy “for secession from India and to wage or attempt to wage war, or abetting waging of war against the Government of India”, the police said.

Dr Mark Haokip, the president of the International Human Rights Association, Chuarchandpur chapter. (Facebook @HumanRightsProtector)

The Manipur Police Monday said human rights activist Mark T Haokip, who was arrested over his Facebook post, was found to be a self-styled president of an outfit called ‘Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Kukiland’.

Haokip was allegedly involved in a conspiracy “for secession from India and to wage or attempt to wage war, or abetting waging of war against the Government of India”, the police said. Subsequently, he was re-arrested on Monday and remanded to police custody for five days.

Themthing Ngasangva, Inspector General of Police, Manipur, said an investigation against Haokip has revealed that he is a self-styled president of the outfit which aims to establish a Kuki nation. “Haokip has not only confessed to being the leader of the outfit but has also told us that there are others working with him,” he said. The IGP said the outfit was established in 2019 with an aim for an “Independent Hill Country/Kuki country”.

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Haokip was brought back to Imphal by a team of Manipur Police from Delhi on Friday last week. During the time of his arrest, the police personnel reportedly seized incriminating documents, including his diary which contains “sensitive materials”. The seizures have been sent for forensic examination, said the IGP.

Ngasangva said the members of the so-called ‘Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Kukiland’ have been concealing the intent to facilitate a design to wage war under the garb of a human rights group.

“The outfit has been continuously waging a propaganda war through various social media platforms and it is actively promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of race, religion, language and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony of the people of the state through its propaganda machinery,” the police said.

“The outfit owns and uses a website — http://www.kukigovt.com — to spread its propaganda and raise funds for the organisational activities besides Facebook, Instagram and Twitter among others to spread their hidden agenda,” said Ngasangva, adding, “The investigation is on to unearth the entire machinery of the outfit.”

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Mark Thangmang Haokip, president of International Human Rights Association (IHRA), was sent to 15 days in judicial custody last Saturday after he failed to furnish a bail money of Rs one lakh and sureties.

He was arrested on May 24 from New Delhi and brought back to Imphal on transit remand on Friday in connection with three FIRs lodged against him for allegedly promoting enmity between communities.

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