Demand raised for banning Kuki MLAs, CSOs
FOCS calls for mass prayer for safe return of abducted children and women
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 13 2024: Federation of Civil Society Organisation (FOCS), Manipur has called for conducting mass prayers at every school, college and market till the safe release of the three children and same number of women abducted by Kuki militants in Jiribam district recently.

FOCS called for observing a one-minute silence every day during assembly time in schools, before commencement of classes in colleges and at markets at 1 pm.

According to FOCS president Th Manihar, heavily-armed Kuki militants abducted the six civilians on November 11 from Jakurador area under Borobekra subdivision of Jiribam district after torching the forest office and Meetei houses of the area.

Citing sources, Manihar said the abductees are in an area under Barak circle in neighbouring Assam state.

As such, the government of Manipur should communicate with the Assam government to secure safe release of all the abducted civilians and drive out militants from the area, he said.

Addressing the media at Kakwa on Wednesday, Manihar said the 10 Kuki MLAs, who are plotting to disintegrate Manipur with the backing of Kuki militants, along, Kuki CSOs like CoTU and ITLF, should be banned.

"When this step is taken up by both state and central governments, there will be a solution to the present crisis," he said and demanded immediate declaration of the 10 Kuki MLAs, Kuki militants and CoTU and ITLF as terrorists.

Manipur Women Federation president P Sini, who also attended the press conference, said abduction of three children and three women by Kuki militants in Jiribam is a war crime as per the Geneva Convention.

"If anything untoward happened to the abducted civilians, all Kuki militants involved along with CoTU, ITLF and Kuki Inpi should be declared as terrorist organisations and punished as per the international humanitarian law and Indian Constitution," she maintained and cautioned that people of Manipur might take extreme steps if Kuki militants continue to hold the hostages and the government of India fails to punish the abductors as per law of the country.

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