Dimapur, June 20 (MExN): Three influential civil bodies of Moreh town submitted a memorandum to Member of Parliament from Outer Manipur, Mani Charanamei, about the plight of the people of Moreh at the hands of the underground cadres and demanded fencing in the international border and also additional posting of Assam Rifles to check the crimes perpetuated by the underground cadres.
The memorandum submitted by the Hill Tribal Council, the Kuki Women Union and Human Rights and the Kuki Students’ Organization (Moreh Block) on the visit by the Outer Manipur MP, Charanamei on June 20 last, pointed out that the border towns, Moreh and the Myanmar Market (Namphalong), which are co-joined, have large unguarded spaces from which underground cadres infiltrate from Myanmar and create trouble in the area.
“Therefore, a Security Fencing is a must; if not, a Border Fencing. It will help a lot in security, clean trade and prevention of crimes,” stated the memo.
The release also praised the 24 Assam Rifles posted in Moreh and added that the Assam Rifles are the right force to protect the cosmo-politan population of Moreh as they have ‘no bias feeling’.
“Except for a handful section levelling false allegations against the 24 Assam Rifles and demanding their removal, the hill people as well as other community settlers in this part of India feel safe and secure under the 24 Assam Rifles” the memo stated.
However, while lauding the AR, the three organisations expressed their displeasure to the state force i.e. the IRB.
“Their recent deployment in Moreh could only led to the killing of eleven civilians right under their nose (during the recent Moreh upheaval)” the memo pointed out. The memo also demanded the MP to station more Central Forces/Assam Rifles at border villages of New Samtal, Moicham, Gamphajol and Yangoulen in order to sanitize the landmines planted everywhere in this areas by the UNLF which have led to the killing and fleeing of the area inhabitants and in order to resettle the displaced persons in their respective villages and for their protection
“India has no shortage of arms and ammunitions and soldier to handle them. We fervently request for more central military forces postings to safeguard the people from heartless UGs” the memo stated.
The three organisations also urged that the Government should look into the collaboration of the Myanmar Army and the valley based UGs in harassing the common people especially the poor villagers of the Border Area.
In this regard, the memo lamented that their prayers and petitions have served no purpose, and so therefore urged Charanamei to take up the matter with the government.
Coming to the point about the life in the Town, the memo lamented that the tribal people living in the Border Town are living in a lost and forgotten world with the people living there regarded as either aliens or second-class citizens.
In this connection, the release lamented they neither belongs to Urban Areas or Rural Areas when it comes to facilities provided by the Government, and therefore prayed Charanamei to be their savior and do something through any available source of fund or even through the MP fund.
The organisations also demanded MP to make “Moreh Small Town into a Hill Town where the administration lies in the hands of the rightful Tribals (Hill People) according to the Indian constitution”. In this regard, the memo pointed out that the present parallel administration setup has failed miserably causing tension and administrative setback.
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