KSO condemns
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 11 2017:
Vehemently condemning the Nungkam Gamnom killings where a village chief and a Church elder were killed by suspected underground cadres, which have all the makings for a potential communal flare up in the State, the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Ghqs said the cold blooded murder was an abhorrent act which calls for strong condemnation from all peace loving citizens.
In a statement, KSO (Ghqs) general secretary, Seiboi Haokip said the two victims, S Otkhojam Mate (57) and Tilpao Haokip (51) were abducted from their village by six masked armed men in combat fatigues on January 6.On January 8, they were found shot dead at a place near their village.
The KSO considers it as a devious plan engineered by an underground group having vested interest to create communal enmity among the people, it said.
"If this act is not a devious plan to create communal flare up, the killers must have the conscience to come out in the open and state the reason behind their action.
Otherwise this will be construed as a cowardly act of vested interest group to set off communal conflict and hostilities between communities," the KSO posited.
Nungkam Gamnom and Satang Khunou have been living together peacefully for the last decade or so.
Therefore it is in the interest of all and sundry that this incident should not be the cause of enmity and a cause for destruction of the two villages.
The KSO appealed both the communities of the two villages to return to their villages and settle peacefully with mutual understanding.
The KSO also appreciated the timely intervention of the State Government which lost no time in sanitizing the area of unwanted elements and preventing potential communal flare up from the incident.
The State Government must continue to strive for rule of law in the area despite the remoteness and the limitations it may face in maintaining law and order in the area, it added.
The KSO then expressed its displeasure over the indifference of the Assam Rifles in controlling underground groups from committing heinous activities.
"It is evident from the recent attacks and killings by undergrounds that the Assam Rifles deployed in the State to control the same have failed in their duty," the KSO statement read.