Guwahati: The Naga Women Union of Manipur on Wednesday organised a massive sit-in protest demanding the safe release of six abducted Naga men at Tribal Market in New Checkon in Imphal East district.
The sit-in demonstration was followed by a series of simultaneous protest across several Naga-inhabited districts of Manipur, including Senapati, Noney, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong.
A large number of protesters gathered at the demonstration site, expressing anger over the continued captivity of the six men nearly a week after their abduction.
The slogan shouting protestors demanded that they should be given proof by abductors that thsese missing men are alive. Demonstrators carried placards saying— “Human lives, not hostages”, “Bring our people home alive”, “Bring back six hostages safe”, and “Don’t test our patience”.
Ms Houreilu Kamei while addressing the sit-in protest accused that the government of failing to act decisively for the release of the abducted men, who she alleged were being held by a suspected Kuki militant group. “We are not really satisfied with the government and how they are handling the release of the six abducted Naga men even though repeated appeals were made,” she said.
She also alleged that the authorities were not being proactive and regretted that the lack of urgency in securing release of the abducted civilians was very unfortunate.
She also described the prevailing situation in Manipur as a dark and melancholic phase that had become the new normal for the state. The issue should be addressed politically through dialogue, she added.
Pointing out that the six men were abducted from Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13 but security forces failed to take action, another protesting lady said, “The Naga men were picked up from a Kuki area by Kuki people. Why can’t the security forces directly interrogate residents of Leilon Vaiphei village as an effort to release these abducted people?”
The protesters feared that delays in rescuing the hostages could escalate tensions and put the lives of the abducted civilians at greater risk.
Meanwhile a delegation of Tangkhul Naga tribals of the Sinakeithei Village Authority of Ukhrul district on Wednesday called on chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh at his official bungalow and urged him to deploy state police forces (Indian Reserve Battalion – IRB) in their village in view of the tense situation in the State.
Accompanied by Ukhrul constituency MLA, Ram Muivah of the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF), the villagers also demanded adequate manpower for the Sinakeithei police station and the proper functioning of the existing Sub-Divisional Collector (SDC)’s office at Sinakeithei.
Stating that repeated attacks by armed men on Sinakeithei village in the recent past has resulted in an atmosphere of constant fear, insecurity and distress, the Tangkhul Naga villagers demanded the Government for proper security in their area. They requested the government to provide humanitarian relief and essential commodities.
The Sinakeithei Village Authority further requested the Chief Minister to provide security cover on the road between Mahadev and Sinakeithei village.
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