FOCS appeals

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 13 : The Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) Manipur has appealed to all Keithel traders to observe silence for two minutes tomorrow at 1 pm to demand safe release of the six civilians including children who have been abducted by Kuki militants.
The  Federation also appealed to all schools and colleges to observe silence for two minutes by cancelling the assembly song in case of schools and before the commencement of  classes in case of colleges tomorrow.
Speaking to the media at Kakwa Boroi Makhong today, FOCS president Th Manihar also appealed to all human rights activists in Manipur to expose the bestial nature of Kuki militants who abduct even children and women.
Every Manipuri must unite to stand against the fresh aggression of Kuki militants, he said and appealed to the Government to extend all  possible help to the people in Jiribam.
He, meanwhile, claimed that  it wasn't Meeteis who  killed a Hmar woman and torched some houses belonging to Hmar families in Jiribam recently.
He said that Meetei village volunteers rushed to the village to douse the burning houses.
The Manipur Government should mount pressure on the Centre to declare Kuki MLAs CoTU and other Kuki groups who take active roles in the conflict as  terrorists, Manihar claimed.
Saying that Kuki militants have been attacking Meetei villages by entering from Barak Circle in Assam, he urged the Government to  take the help of the authorities in Assam in driving out the  Kuki  militants.
Manihar further said  that Kuki militants won't be able to attack Meetei  villages in Jiribam if a security outpost is set up at Makhabasti, Jirimukh and Chotobekra.
Claiming that Assam Rifles in Jiribam have not been doing anything to protect the people, he urged the Government to withdraw Assam Rifles from Jiribam and deploy State forces in  their place.
Manipur Women's Federation (MWF) president Khundongbam Shini also attended the press briefing among others.