Sit in staged at Yairipok Keithel

Our Correspondent
THOUBAL, Dec 19: Condemning the armed firing and bombing attack reportedly carried out by Kuki militants on Tuesday night against returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Torbung Bangla Phoubakchao, the Nongpok Sayang Apunba Lup (NSAL), an apex body representing club organisations from Thoubal Kshetri Leikai to Phanjakhong area and Meira Paibis of the Yairipok area staged a sit-in protest at Yairipok Keithel on Friday.
During the protest, demonstrators displayed placards carrying slogans such as “Resign Governor”, “Punish Kuki terrorists involved in firing”, “State forces—show courage in the hills too”, and “Let us govern our own State”.
Speaking on the sidelines of the protest, secretary of the All Yairipok Apunba Meira Paibi Lup, Maibam Matouleibi, strongly condemned the firing on IDPs who have been displaced for over two years and were returning to their homes as part of the Government’s resettlement initiative.
Matouleibi said such acts must be strongly condemned and opposed by all communities, and not by the Meitei community alone.
Alleging inaction by the authorities, she said that despite the presence of security forces across various parts of the State, attacks on Meitei civilians continue and the government’s failure to take firm action has raised serious concerns among the public. She urged the authorities to address the issue transparently and take decisive steps.
Following the sit-in protest, NSAL leaders, led by its president, submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur through the Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Thoubal, demanding immediate action against those involved in the firing incident as well as against organisations allegedly supporting such acts.