We cannot let our children die in the hands of Kukis: Parents
Source: Chronicle News Service / Niranjan Oinam
Imphal, August 17 2023:
"The armed Kuki militants keep on attacking us using sophisticated weapons.
We don't fear for our lives.
But we cannot let our children die in their (Kuki militants) hands.
We have to shift our children to safer places and guard our village" .
These are the heart breaking words of those parents in Phayeng village who have to be parted with their children and remain in the village to safeguard it from the repeated attacks of Kuki militants.
The villagers of Phayeng are spending sleepless nights as the village is on continuous attacks by the armed Kuki militants ever since the communal violence broke out on May 3 last.
The elders in every family of Phayeng take turns to guard their village from the Kuki militant attacks during night and day.
All the children in the village are being sheltered in the relief camp opened at Praja Higher Secondary School, Lamshang Bazaar.
Among all the relief camps opened across the state, what is unique about the relief camp opened at Praja Higher Secondary School is that in most of the relief camps, the inmates stay there along with their family members and their children.
However, at Praja Higher Secondary School relief camp, the children stay safely in the relief camp while their parents stay in their respective homes to safeguard their village from the attacks by armed Kuki militants.
The relief camp is being run by 10 women volunteers of Progressive Youth Association and they are looking after the children as their own child.
Speaking exclusively to this daily, one Ningthoujam Ingocha of Phayeng Yubung Khunnou whose two children are taking shelter at Praja Higher Secondly School relief camp said that ever since the violence started in the state on May 3 last, Kuki militants started attacking Phayeng village from May 6 onwards.
Since Phayeng is a village laying very close to Kuki village, the village has to be guarded because once the armed Kukis take control of the village, it would not be a tough job for them to enter and attack other Meitei villages.
Therefore, the villagers of Phayerig since day one have not slept in their homes.
They remain alert day and night and guard the village on shifts.
Even if it is riot their turn to guard the villages, those villagers also come out at night after locking the doors of their houses.
Under such a condition, it is not safe to keep children in their homes.
Even if they (parents) do not like, they keep their children in the relief camp, Ingocha said and added that "We are taking up this step only for the safety of our children.
Even if we die safeguarding our village, we cannot let our children die in the hands of the Kuki militants".
One Angom Ahanbi while interacting with this reporter, said that her two grandsons and two granddaughters are being kept in the relief camp at Praja Higher Secondary School.
"Before the violence erupted, I and my grandsons and granddaughters used to live happily together in the house.
However, suddenly the armed Kuki militants began to attack us and we had to run for our lives.
Earlier we stayed at our relatives places.
But since the Kuki militants continued attacking us day and night, my grandsons and granddaughters have be shifted to the relief camp opened at Praja Higher Secondary School in Lamshang.
"I feel very lonely without them.
They now do not want to return to their home saying that They fear Kukis will start shooting at them", she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Angom Premila arid Angom Tombi whose children are also staying in the relief camp at Praja Higher Secondary School said that since the place they are staying is a war field, it is unsafe for their children to stay at home.
Therefore, "we have sent them to the relief camp, so that they can remain safe and survive from the attacks of the Kuki militants.
They also expressed gratitude to the women volunteers of the relief camp who are looking after their children like their own sons and daughters.
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