ZRO president's residence raided
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singliamnang Guite

Lamka, July 03 2013: Armed men believed to be Assam Rifles personnel raided the residence of Thanglianpau Guite, President of the Zomi Reunification Organisation (ZRO) - the political wing of the Zomi Revolutionary Army early today at about 2.20 am.

Family members who were at the residence during the raid said the AR personnel entered the compound through the gate at their backyard and woke them.

Thanglianpau's eldest son, Thangkhankhup Guite today said the armed personnel refused to heed his demand for search warrants.

Save for a computer set that was kept in the store-room, the family said there was no substantial damage done but the rooms clearly was a mess as clothes, books, furnitures and matresses were strewn around.

He added that their mobiles phones were confiscated during the raid that lasted for about 2 hours and were handed back after he and three others were made to append their signatures on a paper, the contents of which he said were not visible due to the darkness.

He said he tried to insist on a warrant or a copy of the paper they were made to sign but the security personnel did not oblige.

Eleven members of the family, including a baby and Thangkhankhup's grandmother and grand-father were in the house during the time of the raid that reportedly ended with the security personnel seizing nothing objectionable.

Meanwhile many Lamka based civil society organizations based here have condemned the raid and in no uncertain terms conveyed their annoyance over last night's incident, when they were hoping that the SoO would indeed be a harbinger of peace.

The Zomi apex body Zomi Counil said it firmly believes that SoO will usher a lasting solution to the age old political problems and aspiration of the hill people in Manipur but asserted that such foolhardly action would not only derail the peace process but also jeopardise the hard eamed peace.

The Zomi Council General Hqs therefore appealed to the authority concerned to ensure that such acts are not repeated in future.

The Zomi Youth Organisation has also appealed to the security forces to strictly adhere to ground rules.

Demanding that the AR should make known to the public their intention or motive behind raiding the residential complex of ZRO President, it said such reckless act may do more harm than good to the hard won SoO.

A condemnation issued by the CDSU said the raid violated the ground rules of SoO.

The CDSU condemned the indiscipline and urgentlemanly act of the so called friends of the hill people in the strongest term.

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