Act or step down, say student orgns
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 26 2023:
As many as six student bodies have urged all the MLAs of the State to either act boldly in line with the people's pulse or step down.
A joint statement issued by six student organisations including MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK and AIMS asserted that the Government of India has not been working seriously or sincerely to contain the violence as testified by the continuous attack carried out by armed Kuki militants against unarmed Meitei civilians.
Now, it is clear that the militants under SoO groups have been assaulting Meitei villages at will because of the tacit support given by security forces, the student organisations said.
On the other hand, security forces have been working to impound licensed guns used by Meitei villagers for self-defence so as to weaken and displace an even greater number of Meitei people, it said.
People have a strong suspicion whether the large number of security forces flown in from outside the State are meant to protect Kuki militants and abet the militants in attacking Meitei people, the student organisations conveyed.
Meitei people residing at foothills and fringe areas have been left to themselves.
They no longer have any faith in security forces.
It is rather unfortunate that the people's representatives are still unable to take up a single concrete action to address the woes and suffering of the people, according to the joint statement.
It also questioned the failure of MLAs/Ministers to give any concrete response to the demand of the Kukis for a separate administration.
The Government should bring out a proper policy to address the suffering of all the victims whose houses and other properties have been burnt down, it said.
Befitting action should be initiated against all those people who have been occupying other people's homesteads after burning down their houses, it said.
People who have been encroaching into other people's homesteads and properties at Churachandpur, Moreh and other places should be evicted and the Government must demonstrate that there is rule of law in Manipur, the student organisations added.