Imphal: Over 3000 women gathered at Moreh town in Manipur and demanded that the state police commando be removed from the border town in Tengnoupal district on Friday.
Organised by the Kuki Women Union and Human Rights Moreh (KWU and HR), a peaceful sit-in protest was held at New Moreh playground.
Dressed in black outfits, women protestors shouted slogans such as “Go back Manipur police commando”, “To regain peace in Moreh town”, “Remove Manipur police commando”.
The protestors held placards which read: “Withdraw commando who kill us,” “We don’t want communal force, remove commando from Moreh”, ‘Killer commando go back”, “Impose PR to save lives”, ‘Tribal lives matter”, “Govt of India find the truth”, and “GOI, save the Kuki”.
Speaking to media persons, a KWUHR representative said that Manipur police Commando killed two innocent civilians in Moreh on May 3. The duo were students. She said that the lives of innocent civilians had been under threat due to the presence of communal forces -Police Commando. The leader revealed that the community is fearful of sending their children to school due to the presence of police commando in Moreh town.
According to them, Friday’s protest was organised due to the atrocities, recklessness committed against innocent civilians by the police commando. The KWUHR also said that residents will not send their children to school till the police commando is removed from Moreh town.
The women protestors also said that they will not allow the reopening of schools if police commandos were not removed from the town.
The KWUHR said “Our lives are being threatened, we live in fear due to the presence of communal forces Police Commando. We want to live peacefully as proud Indian citizens. We appeal to the Centre government to remove this communal forces so as
to maintain peace in Moreh town”.
The ethnic clash between the Meiteis and Kukis first began on May 3 after the conduct of the Tribal Solidarity March. Over a hundred people died in the violence-hit state and thousands have been displaced.
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Despite the deployment of a huge number of security forces, including paramilitary forces, firing and arsons continue to be reported in Manipur.
Meanwhile, after a hiatus of two months, schools in the strife-torn state reopened on Wednesday despite poor attendance of students.
Also Read | Don’t drag Nagas in the ongoing conflict in Manipur: United Naga Council