Noting ANSAM rally at Imphal The call of the indigenes
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Nothing can be more important than justice for the slaughtered six Naga men and that is exactly what the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) did while staging a march in the heart of Imphal city on June 20. The rally did not march over a long stretch, with the march starting from Tangkhul Baptist Church and ending at the LIC Office, but in the short distance ANSAM delivered an extremely significant and important point. This is perhaps the first time, since The Sangai Express hit the news stand on September 11, 1999, that ANSAM staged a protest rally in Imphal and in the process managed to get its points across to the Government clearly. It was not like this earlier for any demand or protest rally or dharna organised by the said student organisation had always been concentrated in the hill districts or to be more specific in the Naga dominated districts such as at Senapati district headquarters, Ukhrul district headquarters or at Tamenglong. The fact that this time ANSAM decided to stage the rally at Imphal is significant and this should not blow over the heads of anyone who has an interest in the entity called Manipur. In more than one way, it was also a call to the indigenous people of the land to come together and voice a collective stand against such acts of terror as abducting civilians and later butchering them, with the mutilated bodies later handed over to the people. A call which should not go unanswered. It was some years back that ANSAM and DESAM had announced that the two student organisations would work together on issues of common interests and one hopes the announcement still stands and the Imphal rally should serve as the call not only to DESAM but also to all the other student organisations to come together and strike a united stand. It is now over 10 days since the mutilated remains of the six Naga men were found, but there is nothing to suggest that some headway has been made to unmask the killers and book them. Far from it, information has just come in that a shutdown has been imposed in areas inhabited by the Kuki people against an operation launched at Leilon Vaiphei, the very place from where the six Naga men were abducted. On the very day that ANSAM staged the protest rally and made their points clear to the Government, the Naga Women Union (NWU) came out with a statement questioning why the chief of Leilon Vaiphei has still not been picked up for questioning. What about the womenfolk and others who first accosted the Naga people and later handed them to the militants, is another significant question raised by NWU. An open and shut case it should be, if the Government is really keen on getting things done, but it is obvious that this is not about to happen anytime soon.
The six slaughtered Naga men cannot be brought back alive, but the least the Government can do is to identify and book the killers and for that action should be visible at the ground. It is stupefying that the remains of the six Naga men were retrieved only on June 10, after they were taken captive on May 13, that is after nearly one month. So far Manipur has not heard of anyone being pulled up for questioning, though it is known to all that the six men were among the 18 Naga people who were stopped and taken away by womenfolk and people of Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13. And as things stand right now, the womenfolk who were released after a day or two in captivity and were ‘fed’ have developed serious ailments. The hurt continues, but what has added to the exasperation of the people is the complete failure of the Government to show that they are taking things seriously and are on track to identify and pull up the killers. Imphal may take comfort in the proclamation that some Kukis have come to Imphal to board the flight, signalling that this is a sign of normalcy returning, but it should not be forgotten that it is extremely important to deliver justice in the murder case of the six Naga men. Flights may be taken from Imphal but it would pale in comparison when the hills continue to burn and the killers of the six Naga men continue to walk free.
The six slaughtered Naga men cannot be brought back alive, but the least the Government can do is to identify and book the killers and for that action should be visible at the ground. It is stupefying that the remains of the six Naga men were retrieved only on June 10, after they were taken captive on May 13, that is after nearly one month. So far Manipur has not heard of anyone being pulled up for questioning, though it is known to all that the six men were among the 18 Naga people who were stopped and taken away by womenfolk and people of Leilon Vaiphei village on May 13. And as things stand right now, the womenfolk who were released after a day or two in captivity and were ‘fed’ have developed serious ailments. The hurt continues, but what has added to the exasperation of the people is the complete failure of the Government to show that they are taking things seriously and are on track to identify and pull up the killers. Imphal may take comfort in the proclamation that some Kukis have come to Imphal to board the flight, signalling that this is a sign of normalcy returning, but it should not be forgotten that it is extremely important to deliver justice in the murder case of the six Naga men. Flights may be taken from Imphal but it would pale in comparison when the hills continue to burn and the killers of the six Naga men continue to walk free.