Outraging modesty of women : CoTU serves 48 hours to book all culprits
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, July 20 2023:
Expressing shock and anguish over the disturbing video which went viral wherein two women from Kuki-Zo community were paraded naked by a mob, the people of Kangpokpi district staged a sit-in protest today at Leikop village in Champhai Sub Division of Kangpokpi district.
The sit-in protest was organised under the aegis of the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) Sadar Hills.
CoTU served a 48-hour ultimatum to the Government with effect from 6 pm of July 20 to book all the culprits involved in such a barbaric act.
It may be noted that a horrible video of parading two Kuki-Zo women naked and repeatedly molesting them went viral yesterday which shook the entire Nation and the whole world.
|
Expressing dismay over the heinous act which has never happened in Manipur, the people of Kangpokpi, mostly women, held the protest condemning the incident and slamming the gross constitutional violations and infractions of human rights.
The protestors also urged the Central Government to expedite the process of a "Separate Administration" during the Kuki-Zo political talks to be held on July 26 with the UPF and KNO and shouted slogans, "We Want Justice", "Book the Culprits", "We Want Separate Administration", etc.
They also held placards which read, "The world's most horrible crime committed against women", "Barbaric acts never witnessed before", "Worse than a Vietnam War", "Address the Kuki-Zo problems", "No Solution, No Rest", etc.
A mother and a leader of one of the women's organizations said 'Every mother and daughter's heart is bleeding and broken and we are filled with pain and agony to witness the barbaric and inhumane act committed to our sisters' .
She said that the Kuki-Zo women will not remain silent unless justice is served and all the perpetrators are booked and punished.
She also sought the support and cooperation of all women across the country in their commitment to uphold the principles of justice.
Reacting strongly against the gruesome act, CoTU General Secretary warned that if all the culprits are not booked within 48 hours with effect from 6 pm of July 20, CoTU will be compelled to launch a series of intense agitation.
He then urged the Central Government to take cognizance of the gravity of the crime committed against the Kuki-Zo community and expedite the process of "Separate Administration" while resuming the political talks with the UPF and KNO on July 26 .
Later CoTU also submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah through Deputy Commissioner Kangpokpi in the afternoon.
The memorandum demanded a 'Separate Administration for the Kuki-Zo Tribals' and stringent punishment as per the law against the culprits involved in the outrageous act of molestation of the Kuki-Zo Women.
The memorandum further stated that 'There is a conspiracy to annihilate the entire ethnic Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur, which you are very much aware of through the innumerable number of documents, video footages, and other mass media evidence, which have also substantiated that a group of politicians in the helms of the present Manipur Government conspired and executed against the Kuki- Zo communities in Manipur by using all available machinery' .
A separate administration of the backward tribals shall be the only lasting solution for the Kuki-Zo ethnic groups for peace and development in the Northeastern region of India, it added.
While urging the Union Home Minister to acknowledge the process of a separate (Political, Geographical, and administrative) administration, CoTU also demanded immediate solution and justice for the victims of an outrageous act of molestation of Kuki-Zo women by the Meitei mob.
It may be noted that a series of agitations have been lined up in the district over the recent viral video.
A protest will also be conducted tomorrow by the Kuki Women Union in collaboration with the CoTU and various other women bodies including human rights bodies.