Women vendors demand safe release of Irabanta
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, September 05 2012:
A demand for release of Irungbam Irabanta unabated, with hundreds of women vondors of Imphal Ima Keithel staging a demonstration on Wednesday, leaving their business for the day.
Irabanta has been missing since May 27 last after reportedly went out from his residence along with one Winner to have negotiations with the NSCN-IM.
Since then his whereabouts is unknown till today.
It has been alleged that he has been kidnapped by NSCN-IM which has kept him as its captive.
The women protesters, including wife of Irabanta walked towards the Chief Minister's official residence to meet him pertaining to the disappearance of Irabanta but a team of City Police arrived and stopped them from further proceeding near the office of Family Welfare department.
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Six leaders including Irabanta's wife, Irungbam Ongbi Madhubala were selected from among the demonstrators by the police and later allowed them to meet the state Home Minister Gaikhangam instead of Chief Minister O Obobi at the former's official residence here.
The protesting women vendors then addressed a press meet at the Ima Keithel after the meeting with the Home Minister.
Expressing regret over the abduction of Irabanta,Ima Keithel Apunba Lup president L Memma warned of intense agitation if the state Government remained not responsive and does not secure the release of Irabanta by September 10 .
She said the state Home Minister's assurance was just the same with the earlier assurances given by the Chief Minister and the Governor, accusing the Government of attempting to reject the issue as unwanted.
Investigations are undergoing into the missing case of Irabanta and that the main reason behind the delay of the case was due to late information provided by his family to the police, Memma cited Gaikhangam as saying.
However, Memma rejected the remarks made by the Home Minister and said the family was unable to inform the police on the kidnapping fearing reprisal from the militant group.
She said it seems the state Government has its hand in committing various crimes in the state because the NSCN-IM, which has been under truce with the Central Government, is indulging in different heinous crimes against the people time and again.
"It has come to our knowledge that an underground organisation is involved in the kidnapping of Irabanta as per statement given by Winner to the police but it is quite necessary for the state Government to take up any action with due consideration with the Central Government as the underground group is under a ceasefire agreement with the latter and at the same time it would take time," Madubala, wife of Irabanta, who was also speaking at the press meet, quoted Gaikhangam as telling them during the meeting.
Strongly reacting against the Gaikhangam's statement, Madhubala said since the NSCN-IM is under the ceasefire term with the Central Government, it would not be difficult to prevail upon it.