Punish killers of woman farmer: FOCS to Govt
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 11 2024: Federation of Civil Society Organisation (FOCS) has urged the central government to investigate, arrest and punish the culprits involved in the killing of a woman farmer in Bishnupur district.

According to a press release issued by its IPR secretary Nirish Mangang, FOCS recounted that the young woman farmer, namely Sapam ongbi Sophiya of Kumbi Watha Lambi Shantipur in Bishnupur district, was killed in a targeted attack by Chin-Kuki-Zo terrorists on November 10 morning while she was harvesting paddy crops.

Condemning and terming the incident as a terrorist attack, FOCS demanded that central and state governments arrest and punish the culprits involved.

It further questioned how the tragedy occurred with the BSF personnel deployed nearby.

If the central forces cannot protect the citizens and continue to stand by as spectators, it would be best for them to be withdrawn from the state.

Furthermore, while the Chin-Kuki-Zo terrorists continue to terrorise civilians in the periphery areas, both the central and state governments are yet to take any firm action against the terrorists, which is highly questionable.

If the central government fails to safeguard the life and safety of the people of Manipur, then it would not be entirely impossible for the people to demand the pre-merger status.

FOCS cautioned.

Further stating that the central government places the rights and status of women on a high pedestal, but when it comes to women in the state, they are almost like free prey for Chin-Kuki-Zo terrorists.

FOCS then said that Manipur lost its political independence and territorial integrity after merging with India.

At present, illegal Chin-Kuki-Zo terrorists are doing whatever they want to this land, all under the shadow of India's geopolitics.

However, this is not to say that the people of Manipur will continue to watch it happen, it asserted.

Regarding the dead of Hmar woman in a village in Jiribam district during an attack by Kuki militants, FOCS termed the joint allegation letter send out by the ten Chin-Kuki-Zo MLAs as baseless.

It continued that the Meetei village volunteers tried their level best to save the houses belonging to Hmar community which were set on fire.

Making such baseless and false allegations has become a fixed habit for the other side ever since the conflict broke out in the state, it maintained.

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