Displaced villagers tell tales of woes
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 15: The villagers of Khengjoi, Dingpi and villagers living at the border areas with Myanmar under Chandel district have been fleeing from their homesteads due to intense counter insurgency operations launched in these areas by security forces since some days back.

Some women among the fleeing villagers have been forced to deliver in open fields.

A team of reporters visited Molcham village at Chandel district today where the displaced villagers have been taking shelter.

The villagers had a tale of woes to tell following the army operations.

Disclosing that there was a gun fight between security forces and MPA cadres on December 6 in Khengjoi area, a villager of L Bungjoi village under Khengjoi block said that security personnel marched into their village after the gun battle.

Before they came to the village, numerous rounds of shells were fired towards the villages by security forces.

An elderly woman rummages through her day's meal

Even today, they have been firing mortars and artillery guns on villages which look suspicious, he claimed.

Another villager from Dingpi area informed that security personnel have positioned themselves in most of the civilian areas and have been bombarding the villages with mortars.

Altogether there are 24/25 villages in Khengjoi, Dingpi and other villages bordering Myanmar, he mentioned.

Terrified with the intense bombardments, the villagers fled their homesteads without knowing whether there were any casualty among the hapless villagers.

They did not have even have time share information among themselves fearing that the security personnel might subject them to severe torture.

At present, the displaced villagers are staying in the community hall of Molcham village and in the houses of Molcham villagers.

So far, the number of displaced villagers taking shelter at Molcham has crossed 1500.Their basic necessities including food are being provided by MPA cadres, said one villager of L Bungjoi.

When they fled from their villages, they had nothing with them except their clothes, leaving behind all their belongings such as food, clothes, domestic animals etc.

Some villagers who arrived at Molcham later disclosed that the villagers of Saimol, Shihao and Maokot villages who could not flee, are being used by security forces as their porters while the women were herded into in a secluded place.

Saying that most of the villagers had completed renovation of their homes for the Christmas festival, they denounced the Union Govt ofr launching such intensive operations at the time of such a significant festival.

They also conveyed deep resentment against the State Govt and local MLAs for their indifference to the plight of the villagers.

Reminding that Manipur is a tiny State, they appealed to the State Govt to provide relief to the displaced villagers at the earliest.

There were many women and children among the villagers who had fled their homesteads.

Among them, there were some women who are in the advanced stage of pregnancy.

One woman from L Bungjoi had delivered a baby boy in the open field.

Far from any medical attention, the mother was seen taking care of the baby all alone wrapping it with whatever clothes were available to her.

The immediate desire of the hapless villagers is suspension of the operations and urgent provision of relief material from the side of the State Govt.The villagers conveyed that all of them might perish if the State Govt does not provide relief material immediately and in case security forces turn their artillery towards Molcham.