Even though gunfights in most foothill areas have been on halt for the past few weeks, sit-ins and protest rallies continue unabated in major parts of Imphal Valley.
On Thursday, several women from various corners of the valley staged a sit-in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall, decrying the alleged silence and failure of both the state and Central government to resolve the crisis which has crossed 90 days.
The protest was organised by All Manipur Women’s Social Information and Development Samaj (Nupi Samaj).
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, Nupi Samaj president Ima Ramani demanded the government to root out the illegal infiltrators from the state and stop vested individuals and their attempts to distort history by asserting pseudo-historical facts using books and other media platforms.
“We also want Assam Rifles to be removed from Manipur and protection of the state’s territorial integrity at all cost,” he added. She further appealed to authorities concerned to resettle the internally displaced people back at their original residents and maintained that the peacebuilding process would be futile unless the above points were strictly fulfilled.
She mentioned that the present crisis was pre-planned and funded through the money funnelled from illicit drug businesses in the state.
“Most people had been completely unaware of the business but the narco-terrorists and people in high places had been protecting and growing the business for generations,” she said.
She stated that the May 3 attack was the outcome of an evil political aspiration which had been instigated by illegal infiltrators from Myanmar.
“For years, Kuki miscreants have desecrated many holy sites of the Meiteis and even on May 3 numerous atrocities were meted out against the Meiteis but the central leaders have not mentioned even one word on such sufferings,” she said.
She further cautioned authorities to take timely swift measures before the crisis blew out of proportion.
