Thousands pay homage to martyrs
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 18 2010: Thousands of people of different communities including Naga and Kuki, wearing traditional attires of their respective communities, today paid floral tributes to those who laid down their lives in the movement for protection of territorial integrity of Manipur in 2001, of which day has been observed as the "Great June Uprising Day" and "The Integrity Day" .

Eighteen people died in indiscriminate firing by security personnel in the explosion of public outrage on the issue of Manipur's territorial integrity on June 18, 2001 after the ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN-IM was extended "without territorial limits".

In the pictures above, nonagenarian social worker Th Iboyaima, AMUCO president KT Rehman, MLA O Landhoni, family members, Sikh elders, Muslim boys, etc. are seen offering floral tributes to the memorial site of 18 martyrs at Kekrupat

The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has been observing the day as the "Great June Uprising Day" with a public meeting held at Kekrpupat where the memorial site of the 18 victims is located while the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) observed the day as "Unity Day" with another public meeting held at THAU ground at Thangmeiband here.

From early morning till evening , a constant stream of people queued up to offer flowers and burn incense sticks at the memorial site of the 18 martyrs at Kekrupat in Imphal braving hot summer sun.

The mercury level raised upto 30.4 degree celsius at 11.20 am today in Imphal.

Photographs of four other persons who also died in related movement elsewhere were also kept at the memorial site.

Ministers, MLAs, political leaders turned up at Kekrupat and took part in offering tributes.

However, they did not attend either of the public meetings.

Congress Chief Whip Tongbram Mangibabu, CPI MLA N Mangi, Congress MLA and wife of Chief Minister, O Landhoni Devi and family members, MLA W Brajabidhu, etc.

were among those who offered flowers at Kekrupat.

Well known film artistes, Shumang Lila artistes, leaders of Film Forum Manipur, other eminent figures in the field of art and culture also took part in paying homage to the martyrs.

People of different communities living in Imphal and other parts of the state, such as Zeliangrong, Kuki, Muslim, Sikh, Meetei, people from outside Manipur, etc.

were seen making a beeline to the memorial site at Kekrupat to offer floral tributes to those who died for the sake of the territorial boudaries of Manipur on this day nine years back.

Family members of those martyrs were seen weeping to their heart's content embracing the stone memorials of their dear ones.

A large group of Thang-Ta martial artistes offered traditional salute to the martyrs in the morning.