Protest rallies in Manipur against 'mass killing of 10 village volunteers'

Imphal : Thousands of tribal men and women on Friday participated in several protest rallies in at least four Manipur districts to protest the "killing of 10 tribal village volunteers" by the security forces in the state's Jiribam district on November 11.

Organised by various tribal organisations, the protest rallies were held in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Tengnoupal districts and people from all walks of life attended the march.

In Churachandpur, the Kuki Women's Organisation for Human Rights and other organisations held protest rallies followed by massive gatherings.

Addressing one gathering, Kuki Students’ Organisations Vice-President Minlal stated that the slain tribal youths are not terrorists, they are simple Village Volunteers trying to protect innocent villagers. The tribal organisations have been demanding a judicial enquiry into the "mass killing of 10 village volunteers".

Wearing black dresses and holding banners and carrying placards written with "We want Justice", and "Punish Arambai Tenggol", a radical Meitei group, the participants shouted slogans against the CRPF and the Manipur Police.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination of all 10 dead bodies was done at Silchar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday.

A tribal leader in Churachandpur said that though the post-mortem of all 10 bodies has been completed and despite the numerous requests, the government is refusing to release the bodies, leaving the grieving Hmar people unable to perform last rites for their loved ones.

"We urged the authorities to ensure the return of the dead bodies with dignity and allow families to perform the last rites," the leader said.

The Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said that the recent "mass killing involving CRPF personnel is a grave violation of human rights and must be addressed with the utmost seriousness".

KWOHR President Ngaineikim Haokip and General Secretary Kimneihoi Lhungdim in their letter claimed that those responsible for such heinous acts should be held accountable and punished according to the law. They said that the use of excessive force resulting in the loss of lives of village volunteers cannot be tolerated, and justice must be served to ensure such atrocities are not repeated in the future.

The rule of law must prevail, and those entrusted with the protection of citizens must be held to the highest standards of conduct, they said.

Demanding the replacement of CRPF personnel manning the buffer zones by the Assam Rifles "in order to prevent further bloodshed and to maintain relative calm and peace in the region", the KWOHR said that the Assam Rifles, with their expertise and experience in handling such volatile situations, are better equipped to handle the security challenges in the area.

By deploying the Assam Rifles in place of the CRPF, the authorities can ensure a more effective and efficient management of the buffer zones, thereby reducing the risk of violence and unrest, the letter stated.

Manipur Police said that in the November 11 encounter with the CRPF, 10 Kuki militants were killed and the militants also kidnapped 10 people, all inmates of a relief camp at Jakuradhor in Jiribam district’s Borobekra sub-division. A police official said that during the search operations after the incident in Jakuradhor village, where several houses were also burnt down by the armed militants, two bodies of elderly civilians -- Maibam Kesho Singh, 75, and Laishram Barel, 61 -- were found.

He said that another person was found alive and rescued and another civilian came back on his own to the police station while the six people – three children and three women -- remained untraced so far.