Karbi and Rengma youth stage candle-light peace rally
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, January 10 2014 : Even as the Karbi and Rengma youths had held candle-light peace rally in Diphu, Assam yesterday the Rengma Hoho today has said today that the Karbi civil society should rein in the Karbi People's Liberation Tigers (KPLT) so that Rengma villagers can live in peace and security in their own lands.

The Rengma Hoho has echoed this during an emergency meeting held at Japfu Hotel, Kohima.

"As the apex tribal organisation of Rengmas in Nagaland, the Rengma Hoho as a responsible body is desirous that, henceforth, peace should prevail between Rengmas Nagas and Karbis in Assam and elsewhere.

In order that peace should return to the land, the Hoho would like to appeal to Karbi civil society including Karbi Anglong Peace Forum (KAPF) and other frontal organisations to rein in KPLT militants so that Rengma villagers can live in peace and security in their own lands," the apex Rengma civil body stated.

It then said the Rengma Hoho is totally unhappy and vehemently condemns the arrest of a respected Rengma leader, K.Solomon Rengma, the General Secretary of Rengma Naga Peoples' Council (RNPC) by Dimapur police from his residence, Nepali Kashiram on January 9 evening, at around 11pm at night.

"Is the Dimapur under so much pressure to show result that it can go around arresting respected leaders based on mere heresy that Solomon was sheltering NRHPF cadres?," it questioned.

According to Rengma Hoho, the act defies logic that 30-40 police personnel went to arrest a civilian and a public leader and mention may be made that the police instead of finding militants armed to the teeth were embarrassed to find several Rengma Naga refugee families of Assam being sheltered by Solomon and family.

"When was the last time the Dimapur police had the courage to raid the residence of a public leader in Dimapur? Why this double standard? Criminals, extortionists and illegal tax collectors are roaming the streets of Nagaland scot-free but isn't it shameful that a police force more famous for collecting illegal taxes side by side with undesirable elements is out to harass innocent public leaders which the Hoho finds most spiteful.

Is the police action guided by political agenda? Is Solomon responsible for the killings in Nagaland? How does the state government justify this action? Shall it allow its police force to raid the residence of every RNPC leaders just to show that its Special Task Force is doing its job?," the Rengma Hoho further questioned.

It then asked not to victimize Rengma people to show to the world that the police is doing its job.

The Hoho appeals to all right thinking citizens to condemn this attitude of the police.

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