Ukhrul joins rally against child soldiers
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, August 01: Protest rally against the ongoing rampant kidnappings of children in Manipur has spread to the hill districts of Manipur today.

A rally against the kidnapping of children was held for the '�first time' in the hills by the students, staff and parents of Peace Academy , Chadong village in Ukhrul district on Friday.

This was followed by a meeting at the newly built village community hall of Chadong.

The gathering carried placards such as 'Stop child kidnapping', 'We want peace', 'We want free movement and education', 'Make education free zone' etc, and shouted the same.

�Peace Academy, a private Co-Educational Institution jointly promoted by Jesus Gospel Ministry (NE India) and High Hills Development Cooperation for the poorest of the poor and the orphanage, was established in January, 2007.

School students of Ukhrul district join their compatriots in the vallye area to denounce the recruitment of children as child soldiers by PREPAK

Speaking at the meeting, Ashang Kasar, Executive Administrator and Chairman of Peace Academy revealed that this rally was the 'first time' in the hill areas of Manipur in connection with the kidnapping of children.

''We heard of the missing of children and felt that this repetitive occurrence of kidnapping was not good for the future.

Therefore, we conducted this rally,'' said Ashang Kasar while adding that the teachers and the parents were beginning to scare of the situation especially those in the boarding homes.

''We heard of money demands in the past and now we heard of demands for children from the schools.

If this be the case we need to save our future'', said the Executive Administrator while urging for cooperation to bring about peace in the state.

He also cautioned the public about the child traffickers and advised them to be ever cautious as 'these gangs' can take advantage of any situation.

''Moreover, the households in the hills are small and the police stations far away.

So, we need to be extra cautious'', Ashang Kasar added.

He also appealed to the concern outfits to release the children that are in their custody.

MH Loveson, a member of the Village authority of Chadong also said that such type of evils such as kidnappings were sinful before God.

Recounting stories of the past he said, ''In the past we heard of Churanthaba (people who kidnap children for construction of bridge etc) and thought they were long gone but now we hear of them in different names.

This is very unfortunate", he added.

The village pastor, L.Ningdhar held that many good things could be learnt from the underground outfits that were in the state.

However, it is unfortunate that child kidnapping has come up against their names, he added and questioned if this was a way to curtail the future of the children.

''With our children in the valley for education we parents in the hills are unable to sleep.

Please, let us rest in peace'', he pleaded.

Honsan Kasar, a villager, also compared the students to a pure blank paper that could be easily destroyed and pleaded that their minds be free from all disturbances to learn the good things of life.

And talking about underground outfits, he said if the child decides to join after they are grown up we do not object to that.

Taking advantage of the presence of the media, the villagers also poured out their grievances stating that Chadong and the nearby villages were one of the most neglected places in the state with no mobiles, landline phone nor Primary Health Centre (PHC).

They also complaint that the Government Junior High school of the village has been defunct for so many years and suspected that some teachers were enjoying the benefits.

This was one reason why Ashang Kasar started this private institution when he saw that the children were lost with no education, revealed a villager.

Mr.Ashang Kasar supported this statement saying he started the school with the aim of bringing about a change in the educational system in the village.

He further stated that the children were denied the benefits like Serva Siksha Abhyan and mid day meals as these facilities did not reach the village.

He also appealed to the mobile phone companies to set up a mobile phone tower in the area as there was communication problem leading to more complications.

We have no means of communication like mobiles, not even landline, he said.

He also added that an SDC office in the area would be very helpful in improving the means of communication.

Talking the Primary Health Centre, Ashang Kasar lamented that it was unfortunate that there was no PHC facility in the village.

And this has resulted in the loss of lives, he added while stating that some trained nurses were looking after the health condition in the village.