Churachandpur, March 31, 2007: Seeking to put the record straight on the controversy surrounding the alleged abduction of several hundred villagers in Chandel district, the Kuki Students Organisation, Hill Tribal Council, Moreh and Kuki Movement for Human Rights have furnished a report giving their version of happenings at TS Laijang grouping centre on March 13 morning.
According to an open letter addressed to the state chief minister, about 400 innocent Kukis were forcibly taken to Lallim/Namunta, Myanmar on March 13 morning.
At Lallin two busloads of the abducted people were sent away without informing where they were being taken, the letter stated.
At this point, the Myanmar Army intervened and detained two UNLF leaders, one named Mangang, and another Paokeh, but released them later. The abducted people were left at Lallim/Namunta.
The latter scattered in fear and over 497 have sneaked back to Moreh, and are being temporarily fed and sheltered by the HTC, churches, Kuki Women Union and KSO, it said.
The statement went on to claim that the UNLF held a feast by killling two pigs at Molcham on March 18, and brought together some people with a team of mediapersons.
It further charged that the UNLF dictated what the people should say to the media, and the consequent reports created public confusion, reiterating that it was a made up story.
It said the abducted people are now in Moreh without food and shelter, and demanded that the government provide food and other essentials to these people, as well as temporary shelter.
The three organisations further demanded that the government clear all UGs and land mines from all areas of Chandel and Churachandpur within two months, and resettle all the villagers in their own villages peacefully.
They also demanded that the villagers should be provide food for two years as their food provisions have been looted, and they missed jhumming for 2008.
If anything falls short, it will be construed as the ruling government`s intentional negligence and it will be responsible for any consequences, the letter stated.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
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)