Public curfew begins, 10 parties back stir
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 09 2023: The 9-hour public curfew called by the JAC against the missing of Maibam Avinash and Ningthoujam Anthony from 4 am on Friday has been extended till 1pm of November 11.Addressing media persons at Akham Awang Leikai meira shed on Thursday, JAC member Moirangthem Sunilkumar said that to exert pressure on the government for tracing the two missing students, the JAC called a public curfew from 4 am to 1 pm on Friday as the state government has not given any positive response.

Though the government has claimed that two people involved in the abduction of Avinash and Anthony have been arrested, it is still not known whether the two students are alive or death.

Moreover, the claim of the government is doubtful and it is not known whether the government is trying to pacify the angry public by propagating false claims.

As of now, the government has not informed the JAC or the family members of any development regarding the investigation into the case of two missing teens, he stated.

Sunilkumar also said that the government should provide information on whereabouts of the two missing teens by 1pm of November 11 to the JAC, family members and the public, failing which the JAC will hand over the matter to the public and CSOs for intense agitation.

Any untoward incident arising out shall be the sole responsibility of the government, he maintained.

Meanwhile, ten opposition political parties have endorsed the bandh/public curfew called by JAC in connection with the missing of two students - Avinash and Anthony.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here on Thursday, a member of 10 political parties Khomdram Gyaneshwor expressed concern that conflict that broke out since May 3 is continuing for more than six months without any sign of the government restoring peace and normalcy.

There is suspicion whether the conflict is engineered, he alleged, while adding that the unrest situation is impacting not only Meetei and Kuki communities but all communities in the state.

The government remained silent when two students Hijam Linthoingambi and Phijam Hemanjit went missing.

It was when people protested and the photos of the two students surfaced that the government swung into actions.

Similarly, state forces were deployed in Moreh only after the death of Moreh SDPO.

It is unfortunate that the government acts only when people launch protests, he contended.

Even though the government has not ceded to the demand for separate administration, neither Meeteis can venture into Kuki dominated areas nor Kukis come down to the valley.

The situation is akin to separate administration, he reasoned.

Gyaneshwor further continued that there arises a new issue of missing two students namely Avinash and Anthony.

It is questionable whether the government will again sideline it leaving to their own fate.

Stating that the government should not remain silent in the matter, he demanded effective steps for trace the missing students.

As such, the ten political parties endorsed the bandh called by the JAC and will support all the democratic protests, he added.

Besides Gyaneshwor, the media briefing was also attended by representatives of AAP, AIFB, AITC, CPI, CPI(M), INC, JDU, NCR RSP and Shiv Sena(UBT) .

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