Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun - a socio-cultural groups gone rogue

 *ARAMBAI TENGGOL & Meitei Leepun - the Dark militant force behind the ethnic violence in Manipur.

_by Investigative Media Team_

_ June 10, 2023_

It has become a daunting task for media organisations, intellectuals and even for Indian Law enforcement agencies to unveil the complete truth about these radicalised militant organisations as they operated and proclaimed themselves to be socio-cultural groups until their involvement in the ethnic cleansing pogrom unmasked them and exposed them. They could no longer hide behind the facade of a harmless socio-cultural organisations after their "Black Shirt" storm troopers razed Kuki houses, raped and killed their women, brutally assaulted and murdered in cold blood, hounded Kuki-Zo tribals out from Imphal and adjoining areas close to the Imphal valley. The Investigative team could reach a reasonable, conclusive point of view based  on the witness accounts of victims who escaped from the clutches of these radical organisations, their social media postings and a  few interviews given by their members and leaders. If we are to make sense of what really happened in Manipur,  understanding these organisations holds to key to uncovering the truth. It now becomes clear that these radicalised groups supported by the state were really are behind the violence in Manipur that broke out on 3rd May, 2023. They had been responsible for spreading false propaganda and mobilizing the mob within a few hours. The well coordinated attacks on tribal colonies in a span of 24 hours  revealed that these acts of violence were not random but well planned pogrom. Until the events of May 3, 2023, they had been operating in the shadow. They had projected to the world that they exists to promote Meitei pride in their 2000 years old history and their martial/ warrior tradition, to glorify their history of valour under the reign of the Meitei Kings, work for the unity and upliftment of the community and mobilise the youths and various strata of the Meitei society for some social cause or the other. Over time, their radicalised elements gained prominence and militancy crept into their agenda. There are evidence of youths given arms training and self defence trainings and formed into tight military style units readied for any eventuality the leaders perceived as a threat the Meitei community, though they are the majority with about 53 % of the population of Manipur. Pledges to preserve, protect and defend Meitei interest, Meitei religion, culture, and maintaining the supremacy of their warrior race had been drawing unemployed youths and many other radicals to their ranks. The present mayhem has been systematically preplanned, executed and displayed to the outside world in such a way that the true identity of the perpetrators – Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun and the state forces remained hidden and obscure by controlling the narrative through suppression of media and feeding them falsehood and propaganda. The state supported majority meitei's narrative is being push hard to the media and unfortunately,  the real victims who are at the receiving end of this state sponsored genocide are often reported as the perpetrators. For instance, an injured 7 year old Kuki boy burnt alive along with his Meitei mother and his mom's Meitei friend in the ambulance they were travelling at Iroisemba, Imphal West was initially wrongly reported as an attack carried out by about 2000 people mostly from Kuki Community. In similar vein, the involvement of Arambai Tenggol and Leepun are suppressed in the media and it was reported in some news outlet that Arambai has been dissolved? The question is why. The fear of the Govt. Of India inquiry commission could be the reason behind such a move. There is a need for official investigation into these groups. Their involvement with communists and socialist ideology driven undergrounds militant group such as PLA and Kangleipak Communist Party can only be speculated with the kind of organisation structure, military training and motivation these groups manifest. The connection can be proven only when an investigation is carried. Pramot Singh, the leader of Meitei Leepun, has admittedly had drawn inspiration from his days in the ABVP, the student wing of the BJP. Their close association with CM N Biren Singh has also come to the fore. 

Here is a report of our previous investigation team.

Let us look at who the Arambai Tenggol are and how they get support and finance. Arambai, is a dart weapon used by the Meitei cavalry soldiers of Kangleipak while mounted on Manipuri Ponies. It has an iron arrow head, usually poisoned, which is attached to feathers of peacocks or others used by the cavalry armies of the past Kings in attacking or retreating. Users of these weapons, who are horse riders, swirl the deadly poisoned darts and throw it to the enemy with an unparalleled accuracy and speed which is gathered through fast galloping of the Manipuri ponies.

Taking the name from the above mentioned weapon, ‘Arambai Tenggol’ was established in 2005 by the youths of Meiteis with the Association’s office opened at Dewlahland, Imphal, the capital of Manipur. The office bearers at present are as follow: Manipur’s titular king and Rajya Sabha MP, Sh. Leishemba Sanajaoba is the chairman; Keirao Constituency MLA, Sh. Rameshwore is the Vice Chairman; Khurai-Lamlong MLA and Minister, Sh. L Sushindro is the Finance Secretary; Mr. Korounganba Khuman is the commander-in-chief; and the Chief Minister of Manipur, Sh. N Biren Singh is the Overall Chief. 

Ever since its formation, the group has been training young students, in batches, in throwing the dart weapons (or Arambais) while riding horse including different swirling until they achieve certain degree of accuracy and speed. Besides, the youths are also trained with necessary several other skills of martial arts injecting in them Meitei centric radical ideology. There is a photo of Chief Minister, Shri N. Biren Singh hosted a meeting with Arambai Tenggol on 16th August, 2022 in which Manipur’s titular king and Rajya Sabha MP, Sh. Leishemba Sanajaoba is seen apparently introducing them to him. Thereafter on 25th September, 2022 , a large number of Arambai Tenggol batch had an ‘Oath Taking’ ceremony held at Sanakonung (Palace Compound) led by the militia’s chairman, Manipur’s titular king and Rajya Sabha MP, Sh. Leishemba Sanajaoba. 

At present they have around 2000 dedicated volunteers of which 500 are paid volunteers or warriors. The Arambai Tenggol militias wear a black T-shirt uniform with the logo printed on the back in red, the picture of three warriors each riding on a horseback with the first one holding a spear, the second a sword and the third a bow & arrow.  As per their facebook post on 28th Octorber, 2022, Arambal Tenggol also claims to have many units - Unit 1 to 9 of which Unit-8(outstation) is formed by those who have taken the oath but are staying outside the state of Manipur while Unit-RAT(Reserved Arambai Tenggol)-9 is formed by the Meitei youths of central government employees working as defence or para-military forces and state forces. 

Though the overt objectives are to preserve and maintain heritage and promote tourism festival, the hidden agenda behind is to revive the old Meitei culture and customs by converting the Meiteis back to Sanamahi, the Meiteis’ indigenous faith, from Hinduism or Christianity, and then establish the Meitei sovereign state by breaking away from the Union of India.  It may be noted that the Arambai Tenggol forced Pastor Takhellambam Ramananda to tender apology to the people on April 2, 2023 for his veil reference to the Meitei beliefs during his preaching at the Sagang Baptist Church on March 26, 2023 which they considered highly blasphemous and inflammatory. This was done following the chairman and Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Leishemba Sanajaoba’s Facebook post which reads, “If he (pastor) does not apologize, I swear in the name of Ebudhou Pakhangba (Supreme God of Meitei) that I would skin him alive. I do not care whether I remain an MP or not”.

On 3rd May, 2023 when the violence broke out at Torbung in Churachandpur, a Meitei youth through his facebook live was calling out ‘Arambai Tenggol’ for help and action. As the news of violence spread across the state, all the units of Arambai Tenggol swung into action leading the Meitei miscreants fully backed by the state police in Imphal as they attacked, vandalized and burned down Kuki colonies in Imphal first and then those Kuki villages along the foothills of Imphal valley. Had the Manipur’s titular king and Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Leishemba Sanajaoba not associated with Arambai Tenggol as the chairman fully backed by the incumbent chief minister, Shri N. Biren Singh as the over-all chief, the carnage of such scale would have been prevented or at least mitigated.   

There are ample video clips which confirmed the involvement of ‘Arambai Tenggol’ and the state police in full combat uniform. A specific video evidence taken on 4th May, 2023 in which the Manipur Police team leading the Arambai Tenggol in black shirt along with many other people in civil dress proceeding towards Haokip Veng, Imphal, which was then vandalized and burned down. Another video clip shows two Arambai Tenggol militia hoisting the Salaitaret Flag on the pinnacle of a burning church as they fired gun shots in the air to mark their victory.