"Jiri carnage an act of terror" : Victim families demand death penalty
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 07 2024: Family members of the six civilians including a toddler who were killed in captivity by Kuki militants have appealed to the Government (Centre and the State) and human right groups to make sure the killers get the death penalty.

They made the appeal during a programme organised by nine organisations - Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), Meitei Alliance Meitei Heritage Society (MHS), No 7, Team Meitei Personalities (TMP), Manipur Students' Association Delhi (MSAD), Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation Delhi (MAIYOND), United Kakching Students Delhi (UNIKAS) and Ningol United Progressive Initiative (NUPI) at Delhi.

Among those who were killed by Kuki militants after they were abducted from Jiribam on November 11, two were children aged 3 and 8 while one was a toddler of just 10 months.

In a statement, the nine organisations claimed that the abductees were sexually assaulted before murdering them in cold blood.

The families, on the other hand, suspect that the deceased were also raped.

All six of them were internally displaced people whose houses were torched by Kuki militants.

The premeditated and planned murder of the six civilians after they were taken hostage was an act of terror.

The Jiri massacre was not a fight between two communities or a riot where mob violence affects both sides in the heat of the moment, said the organisations.

It further said that the Kuki militants travelled 200 Km to Jiribam to attack a relief camp housing IDPs who are Meeteis.

Continuing that Kuki civil society organisations didn't even condemn the massacre but played the victim card by claiming the Kuki militants who didn't even spare a toddler were village volunteers, the organisations asked who would kill a 10 month old infant in cold blood after kidnapping her family.

What did the Kuki militants achieve by abducting and murdering an infant and why was the picture of six of them in captivity released before murdering them, it further asked.

"While I was at home, my mother called me with disturbing news.

She said that Kuki militants had surrounded.

her house and urged me to run and hide if possible, to save my life.

When I went outside to check and try to reach them, I saw Kuki militants dragging my mother and sisters and forcing them into their vehicles.

More than 30 Kuki militants surrounded our village....

...After that, the Kuki militants began firing at the houses.

The CRPF outpost wasn't far from where the incident occurred, the CRPF could have saved our mother and sisters from the Kuki militants while they abducted them.

..When the dead bodies of my mother and sisters were found, they were half-naked.

My sister's upper part of her head had been tom off, and there were many bruises and injuries on their bodies.

I suspect that the Kuki militants raped them and then killed" said Sandhya, daughter and sister of the victims.

"I was shocked to learn the news, like the whole sky fell on me instantaneously at that moment.

My mother-in-law Y Rani Devi, my wife Telem Thoibi Devi (31), my sister-in law L Heitonbi Devi (25), L Chingkheinganba (3) and L Langamba Singh (10).My whole family had been staying at a relief camp in Jiribam, at Jakuradhor Lamlong Keithel, Jiribam before I left for my work at Guwahati.

My six family members were kidnapped from a relief camp at Jiribam set up by CRPF and Manipur Police by Kuki militants on the dreadful day of 11th Nov 2024..While seeing the bodies of my six family members including my wife and children, there were signs of torture, sexual assault and I suspect they were rapped before they were killed and then thrown into the Barak River.

I never imagined that my family members could be abducted in front of CRPF and killed.

So, I appeal to the authorities to investigate and give severe punishment to those aggressors", said Telem Uttam Singh (38) husband of Telem Thoibi Devi and father of Thajamanbi (8 years) .

The nine organizations, meanwhile, accused the Centre and the State of allowing the Kuki separatist militants to use violence as a political tool.

Is the failure to control the violence a part of a larger political ploy to divide Manipur on ethnic lines, it asked while urging the Government to arrest and punish the Kuki militants involved in Jiribam massacre.

They also urged the Government to take action against all sectarian forces in Manipur.

The Government of India has moral, historical, political, and Constitutional obligation to protect Manipur and its people from Kuki military aggression with foreign elements against Meeteis, the organisations said and urged the Centre to stop the Kuki appeasement policy under Suspension of Operation (Soo) which patronizes sectarian forces.

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