Newmai News Network
Imphal | July 19
Call for peace reverberated across the nooks and corners of the valley of Manipur as women in large numbers came out on streets in their respective areas defying the curfew and staged protest on Wednesday.
The curfew, which had been relaxed during the day in the past several days, was not relaxed for the day. Orders issued by the district administrations of the valley districts late on Tuesday night, announced not to relax curfew.
In a similar manner, the curfew was not relaxed in the ‘Kuki-dominated hill districts’ for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, responding to a call given by Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace, womenfolk came out on the roads in their respective localities and villages and staged protests.
At some places, the women formed human chains while in others, they stood on the roads and chanted various slogans calling for bringing back peace in the state.
While shouting for protection of Manipur’s territory integrity, they chanted slogans ‘Drive out illegal immigrants’, ‘Abrogate SoO (Suspension of Operation) with Kuki-based militants,’ ‘Withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur,’ ‘Convene special session of Manipur Assembly,’ ‘Implement NRC in Manipur,’ etc.
At some places, the women demanded an early solution to the prevailing crisis so that peace is returned in the state at the earliest. They further demanded peaceful coexistence of all communities.
They blamed the Centre and the state government for not taking up concrete steps to end the conflict and bring back peace in the state even after nearly three months since the violence broke out in the state on May 3 last.
While demanding a special session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, the women said that the session must deliberate on the present crisis in the state while passing a resolution to resolve the prolonged crisis in the state.
Earlier, the Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace had appealed to all to cooperate and make the ‘Mothers' Protest’ a success.
According to the committee, the ‘Mothers' Protest’ was being organised to express and highlight the grief and pain the mothers are facing amid the present tension while calling the protesters to raise slogans to protect Manipur's integrity.
Wednesday’s protest commenced around 11 am simultaneously with the ‘mothers’ coming out of their houses and shouting slogans. No untoward incident related to the protests was reported from any part of the state.
