Abrogate SoO, root out terror : Student bodies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 07 2023:
Terrorism should be rooted out from the soil of Manipur to bring peace and harmony in Manipur, said six student bodies, identifying militants under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) as the major cause of violence since May 3 .
The student bodies include Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), Students' Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS) .
In a statement, the student bodies said the Kuki militants under the SoO pact are the cause of the current 6 months (189 days) old crisis and they have been terrorising the people of Manipur.
As long as they exist and their acts of terrorism continue, there can't be peace in Manipur.
The Kuki militants terrorising the people should be rooted out from the soil of Manipur, they said.
The student bodies said the Government must conduct special operations in areas the Kuki militants are operating to slash their capacities to attack civilians.
The militants must be driven out and the rule of law must prevail to protect people's lives and restore peace and normalcy, they said.
The student bodies lamented that even though the militants have clearly violated and broken the ground rules of the SoO agreement, the Government of India has not scrapped the pact yet.
Kangpokpi district, where there is a large presence of SoO militants, has seen many disturbances to peace, said the bodies, apparently referring to the blockade and illegal taxes collected by militants from vehicles.
Moreover, two young students (Avinash Maibam (16) and Ningthoujam An-thony (19)] have now gone missing and are suspected to have been abducted.
Such incidents including the constant attacks on civilians are all acts of terrorism, which must be rooted out, said the bodies.
Like the security forces have cracked down on terrorists in Moreh, similar operations must be conducted in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi to break the militants' capabilities to launch activities of terrorism, said the student bodies.
The bodies stressed that the abrogation of SoO is a must to end all violence and face acts of terrorism successfully.
Not taking any action and not scrapping the SoO will embolden the militants to continue terrorising the people.
If SoO is not abrogated, it may become a reason for more unwanted incidents in the future.
The Government of India must bear all the responsibility, they said.
The bodies reiterated that the Government of India must abrogate the SoO pact and take appropriate actions against them for terrorising the people.
They urged the Government and its agencies to trace the whereabouts and confirm the status of the two missing students swiftly.