United women fights for the release of Landhoni

Imphal | April 6 : The call for the release of Moirangthem Ningol Landhoni who has been “falsely implicated” and lodged in Guwahati Central Jail for over seven months now has grown shriller with united women front drawn from Meira Paibi Lups (women torch bearer association or activists) of Manipur throwing their weight around the issue. The united women voice has given the State and the Central government to respond positive to its demand within 3 days from today failing which the association will explore different forms of agitation.
A memorandum to this effect has also been sent to the Union home minister and the chief minister of Manipur, seeking intervention in the release of Landhoni. The memo termed the arrest of Landhoni from Guwahati on August 18, 2010, as “falsely implicated”.
She has been detained under NIA case No. 01/2010 under section 120(B), 121(A) 122 IPC & section 16, 17, 18, and 20 of UA (P) Act, 1967 as amended in Act 35 of 2008. She has also been fasting for sometimes in protest against the false charges against her.
The Meira Paibi Lup stated that Landhoni is just a school teacher having two children to look after and is not connected to the activities of underground organization. “She is not even a member of the UNLF and also not connected with any activities of the said organization,” they said.
The signatories of the memorandum also staged a sit-in today at Tera Lukhrakpam Leikai in Imphal West in protest against the act of detention. The united women organizations that are at the forefront of the protest are Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL), All Manipur Women’s Social Reformation and Development Samaj (NUPI SAMAJ), Universal Mothers’ Organization (UMO), All Manipur Tammi Chingmi Apunba Nupi Lup (Tammi Chingmi) with support from meira paibis from Tera Lukhrakpam Leikai, Amudon Akham Leikai, Khuraijam Leikai etc.
Ima Ramani, president of Nupi Lup, said in the sideling of the protest that with the detention of Landhoni on false charges, the right of her students to get education has been deprived.
“She has been falsely but deliberately implicated in the case on the basis of a statement given under duress by Amusana Devi,” said the memorandum seeking the release of Landhoni. President of Universal Mothers’ Organization (UMO), Sorojini Devi, added that following the seven-month long detention, the two children of Landhoni have begun to show sign of mental depression which may even cause permanent disorientation.
The charge by NIA against Landhoni is an insult to the Meitei women in particular and all the women of North East India in general, she stated while batting aggressively for her exoneration and release. “This action of NIA (to falsely implicate and detain Landhoni) is wrong and may invite women of Manipur to take the path of armed revolution…it is therefore strongly condemned,” she added.
As if having to part with her two children for more than seven months was not enough, Landhoni is now being admitted to Guwahati Medical College due to frail health following prolonged protest of fasting, rued AMKIL president Th Shakti.
Ima S Momon Leima, president of Tammi Chingmi, said that if the government of India remained indifferent to the demand of the united voice for the release of Landhoni, another June 18-type eruption is imminent for which the government would be solely responsible.
The government must secure the release of Landhoni within 3 days with effect from today, failing which the Meira Paibi Lup of Manipur would be force to explore different forms of agitations, she said.



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