Manipur violence: Local bodies in Kangpokpi condemn gun attack on Kuki-Zo women folks, demands apology

Strife-torn Manipur's Kangpokpi local bodies along with the people mostly women came out on the street today vehemently condemning the alleged gun attack on Kuki-Zo womenfolk in a running car by some armed miscreants on the evening of October 16.

In a view to elude the prevailing tense situation in Manipur, the womenfolk of Kangpokpi District Headquarters keep awake at times when sleep is customary since the past few weeks as part of the Committee on Tribal Unity Sadar Hills Kangpokpi 24x7 sit-in-protest demanding the earliest solution for the Kuki-Zo people in the ongoing Manipur unrest.

According to the Kangpokpi Town Committee, on the evening of October 16 at around 7:00 p.m. some armed miscreants heading towards Dimapur side along the National Highway 2 in a speeding silver colour car fired several rounds of bullets towards the womenfolk who were on their night duty at Kangpokpi bazar and fled away from the scene.

Also Read: Manipur: NSCN-IM reacts to Biren Singh's statement on Meitei-Tangkhul brotherhood

The local bodies under the aegis of the Kangpokpi Town Committee had served a notice on various social media platforms urging the miscreants to voluntarily surrender to the Kangpokpi Town Committee on or before October 20 but unfortunately, nobody either claimed hands or surrendered over the incident.

In connection with the incident, hundreds of people mostly women held a sit-in-protest along the National Highway 2 protesting and condemning the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing upon the night duty goers of Kangpokpi in the strongest term.

The protestors also shouted a slogan, "We Condemn the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing", "We Don't Want Bullets", "We Want Separate Administration", etc.

They also hold placards that read, "Let's Talk But Not With Bullets", "Let Us Be In Peace In Kuki Zoland", "Senseless Act Is Condemned By All", "We Are Your Mother's Show Respect", "Apologies To The Women of Kangpokpi", etc.

Boichong Haokip, one of the leaders of the Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organization or the KWWO said that Manipur has been boiling since May 3 but unfortunately our Prime Minister keeps silent and the Chief Minister of Manipur has done nothing, so the Kuki-Zo women to safeguard our land and people and to draw the immediate attention of the Centre for early solution for the Kuki-Zo people the Kuki-Zo women of Kangpokpi District Headquarters also execute a night sit-in-protest and duty at Kangpokpi town.

However, unfortunately, on the October 16 evening, unknown armed miscreants in a speeding silver car fired several rounds of bullets toward the womenfolk and ran away, she recalled.

She also said that despite notification from the local bodies the miscreants failed to voluntarily surrender till today which is why we have decided to protest such indiscriminate and unprovoked firing in the town upon the womenfolk to give a strong message that such a senseless act is no room in a civilized society.

She continued that at times when the situation in Manipur is tense and the Kuki-Zo people are facing untold misery, we don't want such an inhumane act anymore.

While strongly condemning the indiscriminate and unprovoked firing upon the womenfolk, the KWWO leader also demanded an apology from the miscreants at the earliest to the women folk of the town.

She also warned if such an inhumane act resurfaced in the future, the local bodies would take stringent action.

Members of Kangpokpi Town Committee, and Kangpokpi Youth Union also took part in the protest.