Shutdown call backed, sit-ins continue
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 27 2024: Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Students' Front and Women's Wing have extended support to the 16-hour total shutdown called by the 'JAC against the brutal killing of Laishram Prem and arrest of six village volunteers' effective from 6 pm of December 27 .

In a statement, the Front reminded all concerned that village volunteers stepped in to protect Meetei villages in the fringe areas from Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists as security forces were reduced to mere onlookers.

Shutdown call backed, sit-ins continue

However, rather than tackling the Chin-Kuki aggressors and securing life and properties of the indigenes, security forces started to target the village volunteers who left the comfort of homes to save Manipur, it pointed out.

The Front then appealed to the security forces, particularly state forces to exhibit courage to Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists.

Echoing the same sentiment, COCOMI Women's Wing also supported the 24-hour shutdown called by the JAC.

In a release, Women's Wing convenor Yumnam Leirik Leima expressed that the village volunteers came out due to failure of the government to protect the lives and properties of its people.

She also criticised the government for killing and arresting village volunteers who played vital roles and even risked their lives to safeguard the people during crucial times.

Reiterating support to the shutdown, Leirik Leima said that they will back any movements launched by the JAC in future.

Meanwhile, protest demonstrations against the killing and arrest of village volunteers (Ws) on December 14 at Salungpham in Thoubal district continued at different locations of the state.

On Friday, sit-ins staged to denounce the killing and arrest of village volunteers were marked by the participants chanting slogans like 'We condemn Salungpham killing', 'Village volunteers should not be arrested', 'Punish police commandos involved in killing village volunteers', 'Police commandos need not show courage to the Meeteis, show courage to Narco-Terrorists', 'Release arrested village volunteer without any condition' and 'Repeal AFSPA immediately' .

In one of the protests held at Wangjing Keithel, local Meira Paibi and Women vendors held placards against the killing and arrest of village volunteers, and demanded punishment of the police commandos responsible for killing of village volunteer and immediate repeal of AFSPA.

Wangjing Meira Paibi and women vendors of Wangjing Keithel also staged a sit-in at Wangjing market on Friday.

During the protest, the women agitators used placards with messages such as "We condemn the Salungpham killing", "Village volunteers cannot be arrested", "Punish the police commandos involved in the killing of village volunteer", "Police-commandos should direct their courage toward narco-terrorists, not the Meeteis", "Arrested village volunteers should be unconditionally released immediately", "Repeal AFSPA from Manipur immediately", etc.