Nungbrang villagers dread military more than militants
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 21 2023:
With personnel of central para -military forces randomly entering houses of Nungbrang villagers after dusk and creating panicky situation, Nungbrang villag-ers said they fear presence of the military more than the armed kuki militants and expressed insecurity in re-maining in the village.
Speaking to newspersons on the side-lines of sit-in protest held at Nungbrang Awang Leikai under Imphal East district on Sunday with the participation of large number of villagers, Nung-brang Apunba Meira Paibi secretary Sadokpam Sunita Leima pointed out that as Nungbrang village is sur-rounded by hills on all sides many are taking shelter in safer location due to lingering fear that Kuki militants could attack them any moment.
However, after incidents of communal violence subsid-ed in almost all parts of the state, they returned to the village but only to be targeted by the armed Kuki militants.
Subsequent to request to authority concerned teams of Manipur police commandos were deployed in the vil-lage to safeguard them and as such the situation was put under control.
However, personnel of central forces also deployed in the village area started entering every house in the villages as soon as night falls and creating un-wanted problems to the vil-lagers, there is panic among villagers by their presence, she said and observed that attitude and conduct of the central forces personnel seem unrelated to safeguarding the villagers.
She also appealed to the state government to look into the matter in addi-tion to creating a peaceful atmosphere in the area by withdrawing from the So0 agreement signed with the Kuki militants.
According to Nungbrang Thumkhing Lairembi Youth Club former secretary Khu-manthem Indrajit, army per-sonnel entering their houses after dusk with faces cov-ered to hide their identities is making the local nervy.