Newmai News Network
Churachandpur, March 12, 2006: The Hmar Students’ Association (HSA), Kuki Students Organisation (KSO), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and the Zomi Students’ Federation (ZSF) of Churachandpur have strongly condemned the alleged rape incident in a village of Churachandpur district by UG cadres.
“Defilement of 21 Hmar innocent girls by UNLF cadres during January this year at Tipaimukh sub-division of CCpur District, the humiliating act of sadism and sodomy perpetrated, had an ulterior motive in forcibly outraging the chastity and purity of the innocent Hmar girls and thus robbing the girls of their most valued possession-their chastity,” stated the HSA, MZP, KSO and ZSF in a joint statement.
The joint release of the four student bodies also mentioned of the March 8, press release of UNLF which appeared in various local newspapers claiming that rape charges against the outfit were found to be false and was an attempt to tarnish the image of the outfit .
“The UNLF also reiterated its supposedly firm stand on crimes against women,” stated the four bodies.
The truth however, they charged “is that on Jan 16 UNLF cadres raped 10 Hmar girls at Lungthulien village and before that 11 more girls were raped at Parbung and Toulbung villages respectively”.
This is not a concocted story as alleged by the militants which can be surmised from the fact that 21 raped victims had confessed to the crimes, stated the press note.
The release of the organisations further said “as there was always fear of reprisal since the UNLF cadres were present and the rape incident came to light only after the UNLF cadres had been flushed out from the area”.
The victims have narrated their horrid experiences and the trauma gone through at the hands of the UNLF cadres, stated the press note.
“In the light of this the UNLF’s claim of being falsely accused by a particular NGO or individual as part of a conspiracy aimed at damaging the outfit’s reputation at the local and international level is highly unsubstantiated,” observed the students.
What has been revealed is the plain truth, not an attempt to tarnish the image of any organisation or group.
Let truth prevail, said the joint statement of HSA, KSO, MZP and ZSF.
Source: The Sangai Express