Awang Potsangbam Chaokhat Khongthang Apunba Meira Nupi Lup on Tuesday condemned authorities’ clamp down on village volunteers in the valley as it had allegedly set off renewed Kuki militant attacks in the peripheral villages.
Speaking to the media at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal, president of the Meira Paibi group Soubam Madhabi stated that the renewed attacks had triggered fear and panic among the villagers.
She highlighted that a combined team of Imphal East and West state forces along with CRPF on August 25 apprehended six village volunteers guarding the northern foothills in Koirengei area.
“The youths are manning the periphery without any care about their future. We know why they traded their careers and picked up arms instead; but it seems the government is clueless on the matter,” she said.
She condemned the government’s flagrant act which has put the lives of villagers at risk.
“The attacks had simmered but news about the arrest sparked new attacks near Nongpok Ningthou Ching around 10 pm on Monday. This has triggered an air of fear among people in the area,” she said.
She questioned what security measures were being deployed by the state forces and if they were willing to go out on the limb to protect the people.
As such, she demanded the authorities to retract the remand request immediately and release the village volunteers within four days.
She further called upon womenfolk in the valley to join in the demand and save the lives of the village volunteers.
