Thursday, October 25, 2007

Manipur Updates | Agitating Thadou students torch truck, try to burn school | Manipur becoming a killing field, rues MPP’s O Joy

Agitating Thadou students torch truck, try to burn school


IMPHAL, Oct 24: Supporters of the Thadou Students Association, Sadar Hills, torched a truck and attempted to burn down a government school in the Sadar Hills area yesterday with the intensification of their stir against the government.

The association, which is demanding provision of proper infrastructure and deployment of teachers in government schools in the Sadar Hills had imposed an indefinite economic blockade along both NH-39 and NH-53 since yesterday morning.

This came in the wake of the 48-hour national highway bandh imposed by the student group that began from October 12 in which more than 35 vehicles plying on NH-39 were damaged.

In the indefinite blockade launched since 6 am yesterday, a Tata truck bearing registration no MN-06T-0244 was torched by blockade supporters yesterday evening at around 8:45 pm at a place between Dimpirou and Leikok Villalong, along NH-39, about 14 km south of Kangpokpi police station.

The vehicle was reportedly carrying five plastic water tanks from the Assam Rifles camp at Maram.

Blockade supporters also attempted to burn down the Kalapahar junior high school yesterday evening at around 5:30 pm, but due to timely arrival of a police team the school was saved from damage.

In the meantime the president, Thadou Student Association, Sadar Hills, Lalminlal Singsit, addressing a press conference this afternoon, warned bluntly that the association willll burn down all government institutions in the Sadar Hill area if the government fails to give a positive response to their demands, within three days.

It would also resort to a complete shutdown of the national highways if necessary, he said.

He further informed that a group of 60 oil tankers which were being escorted towards Imphal were attacked by blockade supporters at around 11:30 am today, causing some damage.

He said MR personnel escorting the vehicles assaulted civilians in retaliation and injured at least eight youths, and broke down the doors of several roadside houses in a search for the blockade supporters.

Terming the act of the MR personnel as one of cowardice, he further demanded the government take up punitive action against them.

He said student community and public in the Sadar Hills are no longer able to bear the step motherly treatment by the government of the people of the area. Their demands are very genuine and their struggle will continue till they are implemented, he declared.

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Manipur becoming a killing field, rues MPP’s O Joy


IMPHAL, Oct 24: Opposition leader O Joy Singh, contending that Manipur has fallen into a tragic situation with the recent spurt of killings and violence, has called on the state government to pay special attention to bringing the law and order situation under control.

The MPP leader, speaking to IFP today, said the multiple killings, over the past several days, including that of women, was not at all a good sign for the state.

‘Manipur has become a killing field. In the past few months, not a day has passed without news of killings, and it has become a matter of keeping score of how many are killed each day,’ the MLA said.

Such killings are not going to help Manipur, but will only cause anxiety and apprehension among the people, he said, expressing his regret that jungle law is now prevailing in the state in which the strong is preying on the weak.

All of these have occurred because of the disinterest on the part of the state government, and stressed that the latter needs to pay special attention to bring the law and order situation to heel. Otherwise it will only get worse, he observed.

He also observed that it is not right for UG groups which are engaged in factional fights to turn on the people, citing the example of the refugees of Saichang village who are now sheltering at the neighbouring Itham Moirangpurel because of factional fights among armed groups.

With winter setting in, the refugees will be facing a difficult situation and in any case they cannot stay for long at Itham, he observed, urging for steps on the part of all concerned to facilitate their return home.

The MPP leader also opposed the recent abduction of three PHED officials by suspected UGs and joined in the call for their prompt release on humanitarian grounds.



Source: The Imphal Free Press

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