Five farmer bodies in Manipur have strongly condemned the recent attack on a tenant farmer near Loktak High Canal, "security sensitive zone".
The farmer groups included the Kangleipak Progressive Farmer Association, LOUSAL, Loyalam Loumee Lalup, Irabot Foundation and AMFA.
A 40-year-old farmer identified as Salam Jotin of Naranseina was working in the field when suspected Kuki militants fired indiscriminately towards him.
The bodies also appealed to the MLAs and other elites not to indulge in narrow politics over the subsidised government fertilisers.
“We have reports about certain MLAs procuring government fertilizers under so-called quotas and then selling it to farmers at a higher price point then the subsidised government rate at their respective constituencies. Please, stop such shallow minded politics during these trying times,” the bodies appealed.
Speaking to media at Manipur Press Club, LOUSAL president Mutum Churamani narrated that the unfortunate gun attack at Naranseina took place around 6 in the morning.
“The farmer was going to the paddy field to spray fertilizers. He worked as a tenant in the field which was located in the low canal area of Naranseina,” he said.
He highlighted that the high canal area was security sensitive zone which were guarded heavily by central paramilitary forces.
Several fields in the high canal area have been abandoned because of the conflict and the security forces prevent anyone from entering into the area, he added.
He pointed out that a state-level monitoring committee was formed on July 10 after the five farmers bodies appealed to authorities.
“The committee included various authorities from the agriculture department and the law and enforcement agencies. The main objective of the committee was to survey the conflict affected paddy areas and arrange security measures so that paddies could be sowed,” he said.
He maintained that till July 15 survey report, over 9,700 hectares of paddy area were situated in affected zone and could not be farmed. But now paddies have sowed in one-third of the affected area with security arrangement, he added.
Stating that the farmers were gradually returning to their normal lives after an intense traumatic experience, he condemned the numerous heinous attack on innocent civilian in various pockets and demanded authorities to look into the matter properly.
He questioned why the authorities were silent on such matters and demanded the state CSOs acting as the people’s messenger to Delhi to raise the issue to the centre.
“The CSOs should take a firm stance and demand affirmative actions. They should tell the centre to stop the unwarranted attacks and leave the table talk if the demands are not met,” he said.
On the other hand, Churamani mentioned that people in safe locations still could not grasp the traumas and fear of people on the fringes. The fear of an impending attack keeps them diverted from their daily activities, he added.
“Starting from the elites who could not wait to get the assembly session over with to the volunteers who are defending their villages, their survival depends on the produce of the farmers,” he said.
As such, he demanded authorities to take stringent measures and stop such despicable attacks on farmers.
Meanwhile, Churamani appealed to MLAs and authorities to stop their measly politics on fertilizers meant for poor farmers.
