The Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Nov 2: One survivor of the October 23 arson committed by KLO/KLA cadres at Lahorijan, Assam in which two passengers were charred to death has negated the possibility of communal ill-feelings to be behind the criminal act.
The incident is being investigated by a Fact Fin- ding Committee comprising of an IGP and a Commissio-ner of State Government.
One Thongbam Madhav who was a passenger of the inter-State bus burnt down by KLO/KLA cadres conjectured that the arson was aimed at threatening the bus owner or transporters’ association in the most extreme manner as a result of an impasse between the two sides.
Speaking to media persons at Langol Tarung to- day, Madhav disclosed that the unidentified persons never told them to get down from the bus before torching it.
As the bus caught fire from the front side (cabin) where the exit door was, none of the passengers could make their way out. Left with no other option, they smashed the window panes and crawled out, he recounted.
But Robert Golmei (31) of Sangrungpung village, Ta-menglong district and his mother-in-law Ginthailiu Gonmei (58) of Chaiba village, Churachandpur distr- ict could not escape the fire and were charred to death.
Recalling the incident, the survivors conveyed that the attack appeared to be a pre-planned one. They also decried the act of the driver stopping the vehicle there for about 30 minutes waiting for a single passenger.
Had the driver not stop-ped there and drove ahead without waiting for the passenger, they would not have suffered the gruesome attack, the survivors lamented.
During the press meet, many families members of the victims expressed strong words of condemnation.
“The hurt sentiment of the family members caused by the death of two beloved family members was deepened all the more and broke everybody’s heart when they saw the charred and badly deformed bodies”, said Robert’s elder brother Athui Golmei.
Observing that both the Governor and the Chief Mi-nister maintained stoic sile- nce on the matter, Athui also lamented that none of the influential civil society organisations have done anything for the victims. He further blamed travel agents for several errors.
“We can forget anything and forgive all but the incident will remained etched in our minds until and unless the Government establish road protection force and the KLO/KLA come to an agreement under the Rongmei customary law”, said Achungmei, daughter of Ginthailu.
Taking part in the press meet, joint secretary of Zeliangrong Youth Front Imphal Zone, Rejoyce asserted that the attack on the innocent passengers was aimed at disuniting Manipur.
Expressing his desire to settle the matter according to Zeliangrong customary law, he hinted that civil organisations, particularly Kuki Inpi and the KSO, should take proactive roles towards bringing a negotiated settlement with the KLO/KLA.
KLO statements irk ZSUM
Imphal, Nov 2: While reacting strongly to the flip-flop press statement of the Kuki Liberation Organisation/Kuki Liberation Army (KLO/KLA) with regard to the October 23 pasenger bus burning incident in Assam where two passengers hailing from Zeliangrong community were killed, the Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM) termed the Kuki outfit’s move as undermining the Zeliangrong com- munity.
Robert Golmei and Ginthailiu Gangmei were ‘charred’ to death in the incident, according to ZSUM.
This statement of ZSUM came following the two press notes of the KLO/KLA issued on two separate occasions which were contradictory to each other, according to the Zeliangrong students’ body.
ZSUM said that on October 25, the KLO/KLA had claimed responsibility through the media by the outfit’s information and publicity secretary Mal-sawn Kuki saying that the burning of a passenger bus in Assam was the handiwork of the Eagle Claws unit of the KLO/KLA. “However, on October 31 through the media, the KLO/KLA denied its involvement in the October 23 bus burning incident,” said the ZSUM while adding, “the KLO/KLA’s commander-in-chief Robinson Kuki had said through the news-papers that the passenger bus was burnt down by a gang whose members’ identities are Seikhohao alias Malwin Khongsai of Thingkanphai, Churachandpur, Ngamlet alias Jamdil Khongsai of Changkipot, Churachand-pur, Paokholen Haokip s/o Nehthang of Checkon, Imphal, Letkhogin alias Hegin of Terakhong near Andro and Henkholen alias Steward of Bethany village, Sapermeina.”
Such stance of the KLO/KLA undermines the Zeliangrong community, fumes the ZSUM.
The Zeliangrong stu-dents’ body then said that executing or targetting innocent and unarmed civilians and torching a passenger bus by armed group such as the KLO/KLA is a clear case of violating of any civilised human standard which is against hmanity.
The ZSUM further stated that organised gruesome crime committed by KLO/KLA is against regional and inter-national laws and conven- tions viz, the Geneva Conventions for armed opposition groups which are tanamount to genocidal activities.
“The tactic silence main-tained by Kuki apex body such as the Kuki Inpi further adds to the insult to the Zeliangrong community,” said the ZSUM.
“The Kuki apex organisation should initiate for an amicable resolution through Zeliang-rong customary laws before things go out of hand,” cautions the Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM).
Source: Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, Nov 2: One survivor of the October 23 arson committed by KLO/KLA cadres at Lahorijan, Assam in which two passengers were charred to death has negated the possibility of communal ill-feelings to be behind the criminal act.
The incident is being investigated by a Fact Fin- ding Committee comprising of an IGP and a Commissio-ner of State Government.
One Thongbam Madhav who was a passenger of the inter-State bus burnt down by KLO/KLA cadres conjectured that the arson was aimed at threatening the bus owner or transporters’ association in the most extreme manner as a result of an impasse between the two sides.
Speaking to media persons at Langol Tarung to- day, Madhav disclosed that the unidentified persons never told them to get down from the bus before torching it.
As the bus caught fire from the front side (cabin) where the exit door was, none of the passengers could make their way out. Left with no other option, they smashed the window panes and crawled out, he recounted.
But Robert Golmei (31) of Sangrungpung village, Ta-menglong district and his mother-in-law Ginthailiu Gonmei (58) of Chaiba village, Churachandpur distr- ict could not escape the fire and were charred to death.
Recalling the incident, the survivors conveyed that the attack appeared to be a pre-planned one. They also decried the act of the driver stopping the vehicle there for about 30 minutes waiting for a single passenger.
Had the driver not stop-ped there and drove ahead without waiting for the passenger, they would not have suffered the gruesome attack, the survivors lamented.
During the press meet, many families members of the victims expressed strong words of condemnation.
“The hurt sentiment of the family members caused by the death of two beloved family members was deepened all the more and broke everybody’s heart when they saw the charred and badly deformed bodies”, said Robert’s elder brother Athui Golmei.
Observing that both the Governor and the Chief Mi-nister maintained stoic sile- nce on the matter, Athui also lamented that none of the influential civil society organisations have done anything for the victims. He further blamed travel agents for several errors.
“We can forget anything and forgive all but the incident will remained etched in our minds until and unless the Government establish road protection force and the KLO/KLA come to an agreement under the Rongmei customary law”, said Achungmei, daughter of Ginthailu.
Taking part in the press meet, joint secretary of Zeliangrong Youth Front Imphal Zone, Rejoyce asserted that the attack on the innocent passengers was aimed at disuniting Manipur.
Expressing his desire to settle the matter according to Zeliangrong customary law, he hinted that civil organisations, particularly Kuki Inpi and the KSO, should take proactive roles towards bringing a negotiated settlement with the KLO/KLA.
KLO statements irk ZSUM
Imphal, Nov 2: While reacting strongly to the flip-flop press statement of the Kuki Liberation Organisation/Kuki Liberation Army (KLO/KLA) with regard to the October 23 pasenger bus burning incident in Assam where two passengers hailing from Zeliangrong community were killed, the Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM) termed the Kuki outfit’s move as undermining the Zeliangrong com- munity.
Robert Golmei and Ginthailiu Gangmei were ‘charred’ to death in the incident, according to ZSUM.
This statement of ZSUM came following the two press notes of the KLO/KLA issued on two separate occasions which were contradictory to each other, according to the Zeliangrong students’ body.
ZSUM said that on October 25, the KLO/KLA had claimed responsibility through the media by the outfit’s information and publicity secretary Mal-sawn Kuki saying that the burning of a passenger bus in Assam was the handiwork of the Eagle Claws unit of the KLO/KLA. “However, on October 31 through the media, the KLO/KLA denied its involvement in the October 23 bus burning incident,” said the ZSUM while adding, “the KLO/KLA’s commander-in-chief Robinson Kuki had said through the news-papers that the passenger bus was burnt down by a gang whose members’ identities are Seikhohao alias Malwin Khongsai of Thingkanphai, Churachandpur, Ngamlet alias Jamdil Khongsai of Changkipot, Churachand-pur, Paokholen Haokip s/o Nehthang of Checkon, Imphal, Letkhogin alias Hegin of Terakhong near Andro and Henkholen alias Steward of Bethany village, Sapermeina.”
Such stance of the KLO/KLA undermines the Zeliangrong community, fumes the ZSUM.
The Zeliangrong stu-dents’ body then said that executing or targetting innocent and unarmed civilians and torching a passenger bus by armed group such as the KLO/KLA is a clear case of violating of any civilised human standard which is against hmanity.
The ZSUM further stated that organised gruesome crime committed by KLO/KLA is against regional and inter-national laws and conven- tions viz, the Geneva Conventions for armed opposition groups which are tanamount to genocidal activities.
“The tactic silence main-tained by Kuki apex body such as the Kuki Inpi further adds to the insult to the Zeliangrong community,” said the ZSUM.
“The Kuki apex organisation should initiate for an amicable resolution through Zeliang-rong customary laws before things go out of hand,” cautions the Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM).
Source: Newmai News Network
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