Linking Nongpok Sekmai to nude parade upsets locals
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, July 23 2023:
The people of Nongpok Sekmai have decried the misreporting by national media naming Nongpok Sekmai as the area where two women were paraded naked by an unruly mob, a video of which went viral on social media platforms a few days, as completely false and an attempt to portray Nongpok Sekmai in bad light.
On Saturday, representatives of Apunba Meira Paibi Lup Nongpok Sekmai and locals held a meeting at the premises of North Eastern Sporting Association (NESA), Nongpok Sekmai.
Speaking at the meeting, NESA vice - president Long -jam Bhushan recounted that the incident occurred at a Kuki village located next to Nongpok Sekmai, and not at Nongpok Sekmai, as being reported.
He said that after the clashes began on May 3, the 6/7 Kuki villages nearby, whose residents were already in possession of firearms prior to the conflict, started firing at the Meitei villages in the area in addition to incidents of armed Kukis from Churachandpur coming and threatening the Meitei populace in the area.
He continued that after the violence escalated on May 4, around 7000-strong Meitei people came to Nongpok Sekmai and drove away the Kuki villages.
Many of the Kukis fled their villages.
However, the resident Meiteis saved many of them including the families of Thangbor and Joseph.
The resident Meiteis did not allow them to get hurt.
Amid this, news trickled in that Meitei women were being openly gang-raped in Churachandpur.
As such, the unfortunate incident shown in the viral video might have occurred at that time as a form of revenge.
However, the people of Nongpok Sekmai would have never allowed such an incident to happen and condemn the barbarous act at the highest term.
The culprits should also be punished stringently.
But it is should be also be noted that some of the Meitei men gave their clothes to the women and tried their best to save them.
As such, it is extremely unfortunate that false information is being propagated in the name of the video.
The video showed the women were not gang-raped and the victims themselves have said that they were not raped, he added.
"While there is no objection in punishing the culprits, why are the central and state governments silent on the acts of arson and violence Committed by Kukis in areas of Moreh, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi? Such partiality has raised concerns of whether the Kuki's demand of separate administration is almost fulfilled," Bushan said, while questioning why the Kukis are silent on their atrocities towards Meiteis, when the Meiteis and even the CM have condemned the Meiteis for the incident.
It is extremely unfortunate that this incident has been used to portray the Meiteis in bad light all over the country as well as the world.
The partiality and bias nature towards one community to divert the direction of the conflict is not that hard to see.
PM Modi condemning the viral video but ignoring the whole violence, ignoring the atrocities committed by Kukis against Meiteis is also one-sided.
The culprits in the viral video must be punished but ignoring the plight and brutality suffered by Meitei women should not be neglected, Bushan contended, while stating that time has come for the Meitei people to demand justice as well.
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