Imphal, March 13, 2007: Contending that about 400 villagers living in the border areas of Chandel district have fled their homesteads to escape the harassments meted out to them by militant groups operating (Valley based UGs), the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh, KSO, Moreh block and Kuki Women Union and Human Rights, Moreh today said that villagers including women and children took shelter at S Laijang village.
However even there, the militants came to the village and have taken away all the villagers along with Myanmar military, the organisations said a joint statement issued to the press.
The statement said that the militants thrashed the villagers today at about 5.30 am and took them away. It is learned that they are detained at Lalim/Namunta village in Myanmar, alleged the organisations.
The villagers fled their homesteads because the militants used them for forced labour and restricted their movements. Moreover they could not tend to their fields as they the landmine, added the statement. The organisations have appealed to the Government and other human rights bodies to intervene for the sake of the harassed villagers.
Source: The Sangai Express
See also:
- Environmental Clearance of Tipaimukh Dam by MoEF (October 31st, 2008)
- Chakka bandh on Sep 18 against Tipaimukh dam (September 17th, 2008)
- 1 lakh Manipur villagers hit by bamboo flowering (September 2nd, 2008)
- Heavy security to be deployed on 99 km stretch of road to Tipaimukh dam (July 29th, 2008)
- Army launches Tipaimukh vigil (April 30th, 2008)