GUWAHATI
Three Naga organisations have demanded justice from the Manipur government for the two Naga men who were allegedly assaulted by members of Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei radical group, in the State capital Imphal on October 31.
The Naga People’s Organisation, Senapati District Students’ Association, and the Senapati District Women’s Association issued a statement warning the Biren Singh-led Manipur government of “action to safeguard our community” if it failed to punish those behind the assault within 48 hours. The two Poumai Naga victims were from Senapati district of Manipur.
The non-tribal Meiteis, the tribal Nagas and Kuki-Zos are the three principal communities of Manipur. The Nagas have at times been caught in the ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zos that has claimed more than 240 lives and displaced some 60,000 people since May 3, 2023.
The Meiteis dominate the Imphal Valley while the Nagas and Kuki-Zos share the surrounding hills unequally.
Seeks probe
The three Naga organisations said the members of the Arambai Tenggol assaulted the Poumai Naga men – V. Hrangao Blesson Poumai and Dalou Poumai – when they were returning after purchasing livestock in Imphal Valley’s Thoubal district.
The organisations said the Arambai Tenggol members dragged Mr. Blesson and Mr. Dalou into their Unit 18 camp, tortured them, and seized ₹61,400 from their possession at gunpoint. “Despite producing proof of their identities, they were repeatedly threatened and assaulted with automatic rifles, violating basic human rights and undermining fundamental values of life, respect, and dignity. This egregious act of violence has no place in our modern society,” a joint statement issued by the three organisations said.
They criticised the law enforcement agencies for failing to prevent such “unabated” incidents. “We call upon the police and judicial authorities to thoroughly investigate this incident and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable. We also urge community leaders to foster peace, tolerance, and respect for human rights to prevent such incidents in the future,” the organisations said.
Appeal to PM
The Thadou Community International (TCI) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through India’s High Commission office in London, highlighting the plight of the Thadou community due to the ethnic conflict in Manipur.
The Thadous are the largest non-Naga tribe in Manipur and the TCI is against the clubbing of the community with others in the Kuki-Zo group.
In the memorandum, the TCI underscored the community’s distinct pre-colonial identity and its cultural and historical heritage, apart from emphasising the human rights concerns and social injustices the members of the tribe had been facing because of the current crisis in Manipur.
The TCI said the Thadou people had been subdued and marginalised for a long time and they had been the most affected victims but silenced in this current conflict. It said the prolonged violence would only widen the rift and eventually affect the younger generations for decades to come.“We are of the firm belief that although misunderstandings have led to violence, mutual respect and understanding through dialogues will subsequently bring lasting peace and harmony as all the communities have to live together. We trust we can stand together for peace, justice and mutual co-existence, and it will be a significant step towards collaborative efforts for finding solutions for the Manipur crisis,” it stated.
Published - November 01, 2024 08:31 pm IST
