Scores of orgns demand justice for Jiri carnage

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 22 : Denoun-cing the murder of innocent women and  children in a fresh round of violence in Manipur and demanding justice for the victims, different organisations staged a sit-in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai today.
The demonstration was jointly organised by Taragi Cheisu (general group & TC wings of JNIMS, RIMS, Legal, CAU), Imphal Naga Peoples' Forum & Core Committee on Relief & Rehabilitation, Manipur, CFJM, MUTA, JNIMS TA, SHIJA AHS, TNA JNIMS, AANTS JNIMS, IPA, UPAM, MCDA, SOULS, NUPI and AMMU.
Noted film-maker Pad-mashri Aribam Syam Shar- ma also attended the protest, among others. He is the advisor to Taragi Cheisu.
Speaking to the media, Syam Sharma said that all people who belong to the State are Manipuris.
Saying that every Mani-puri must stand up against the external force which is  causing trouble in the State, he added that a collective effort must be put in to protect the  idea of Manipur.
The celebrated film icon went on to state that Mani-pur which has  its own iden- tity and language and a history spanning thousands of years is known for its excellence in sports and art and culture.
Several innocent people, however, have become the  victims of the protracted crisis in the State, Syam Shar- ma said dejectedly.
Saying that a third party has to mediate if two persons fight, he added that the mediator should be neutral to pacify the situation.
The mediator in the case of Manipur crisis, unfortunately, has been letting the violence to persist and the same is disheartening, he rued.
Co-chairman of Taragi Cheisu and retired IAS officer RK Nimai also attended the protest demonstration.
He said that the sit-in protest was staged in condemnation of the merciless- ness of armed Kukis who abducted three women and three children from Jakura-dhor Karong in Jiribam and slaughtered them in captivity.
Armed people engaging in conflict  among one another is a different thing but innocent civilians and farmers should be kept safe, the retired  bureaucrat reasoned while appealing to the Government to arrest the murderers and penalise them as per the law of the land.
RK Nimai, meanwhile, said that he came across Kuki MLA Paolienlal Haokip simply saying the killing of three women and children by Kuki miscreants was just a revenge for another killing in an interview hosted by Karan Thappa (The Wire).
Saying that the statement of Paolienlal clearly shows he endorses killing of civilians, RK Nimai said that the Ethics and Privileged Committee of  Manipur Legislative Assembly and BJP must take action against  Paolienlal.
Chairman of Taragi Cheishu Khaidem Mani, on the other hand, said that their protest was not against the Government and their demand was to deliver justice to the victims of the massacre in Jiribam.
Saying that harming innocent people is against humanitarian law, Kh Mani added that every degenerate group must be declared as unlawful organisations under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Different medical and legal professionals also took part in the sit-in protest.