Dimapur, July 24 (MExN): Deploying more security forces to Manipur’s hill districts won’t solve any problem, the Indigenous Women Forum of North East India today said. The organization was standing in solidarity with other organizations against the recent decision of the Manipur state cabinet to deploy IRB personnel and police commandoes to the hill districts. The IWFNEI on Thursday condemned Manipur government categorically saying that the decision would not solve any problem; rather, it will create more problems in the hills, it said.
Interacting with The Morung Express, IWFNEI’s convener Dr. Gina said the objective of Manipur government in deploying IRB personnel was to show ‘that there is no ceasefire in Manipur, to suppress the Naga movement and to kill more innocent public members like in the valley of Manipur.’
Also, Naga Women Union of Manipur’s president Grace T Shatsang said that the IRB of Manipur does not have a good record in the state. The IRB has killed nearly 5, 000 people “as militants.” She expressed fear that the IRB and police commandoes would resort to fake encounters as being done in the valley areas of Manipur.
Besides, the two women leaders asserted that the government of Manipur is trying to impose anti-people policies in the hill districts through militarisation. Whenever the people protest against government policies which are not favourable to the people, the government imposes it through the use of military power. In this regard, the two women leaders did not ‘rule out’ the issue of Tipaimukh Dam in Barak River against which the people have been protesting relentlessly. The government on its part is trying its best to construct the dam despite environmental issues and problems, pointed out by various organisations.
Nonetheless, the two leaders said to explore ways and means to fight against the deployment of the IRB in the Manipur hills. “Women and children are always at the receiving end of militarisation, so if the men can consider their women folk as their mothers and sisters, they should understand it and support it (the stand of the women against militarisation),” said Grace T Shatsang.
Reconciliation a positive step: NWUM
On the current efforts of reconciliation for the different Naga ‘political’ groups in Nagaland, the Naga Women Union of Manipur has termed it a positive development. The organization has expressed hope that the aspiration of the Naga people to be untied would finally become a reality. The NWUM cautioned that just as the Nagas aspire to be untied, there are forces that are trying equally hard to divide the people for vested interests. In this regard, the president of NWUM Grace T Shatsang and former president Gina said that the Naga people have to “work very hard.” Reconciliation is not the end but just the means to achieve greater aspirations of the people, they reminded.
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