More condemn murder of 4 wood collectors
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 15 2024: Condemning the recent killing of four innocent firewood collectors at the hands of suspected Kuki militants, the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) has asserted that the senseless killing is a sign of complete lawlessness in the hill areas where armed miscreants and more than a dozen Kuki SoO militant groups are roaming freely without any respect for law and order, Central Armed Forces or AFSPA.

Expressing deep shock and sadness over the brutal killing of the four men who had gone into the nearby hills to gather firewood, DMCC pointed out that the Meeteis have always depended on the neighbouring hills for firewood and other means of livelihood, said a statement issued by the Publicity & Media Coordinator, DMCC.

Further highlighting the close relationship between the Meetei community and the hills, DMCC went on to state that Meeteis have a strong religious and cultural attachment to the hills where their ancestral temples are located.

"It is our indigenous practice since time immemorial to worship our indigenous Gods and Goddesses idolized on the top of hills on the auspicious day of Meetei Cheiraoba.

It is our indigenous traditional right to visit the hills either for worship or to make a livelihood", DMCC asserted unequivocally.

On another note, DMCC strongly condemned India Today North East for calling the murdered civilians as "wood thieves" in their reporting and termed the act as 'inhuman' .

Stating that the Central Government has deployed more than 60,000 paramilitary forces in the State and created the controversial "buffer zones", DMCC highlighted that much of the gunfire exchanges happen in these buffer zones where AFSPA is also in place.

It questioned how these killings of innocent civilians are happening right under the watch of the Central Armed Forces.

As the Government of India has failed to protect the lives of common people as mandated by the Constitution of India, DMCC put the onus of the deaths of four Meetei civilians on the Central Government and the Central Security forces.

Family members of the victims have also questioned how poverty stricken families like theirs will survive if they are brutally murdered simply for trying to make a livelihood.

They have further clarified that the foothills where the four men went to collect firewood was a Meetei area under the control of the Mahar Regiment and Central Security forces.

They also questioned the Chief Minister's reported lack of action to control the violence, as per the DMCC statement.

During this extremely difficult time, DMCC has extended their heartfelt condolences to the victims' families.

DMCC further urged the Central Government to abrogate SoO agreement with Kuki militants and called upon the State Government to put pressure on the Central Government to take stringent actions against individuals who are breaking law and order in Manipur.

In addition DMCC appealed for the victims' families to be given justice by holding the perpetrators accountable under the law.

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