Imphal:
In a symbolic protest against insurgency-related violence in Manipur, about 100 children set ablaze their toy guns in an interior village in Thoubal district.
The children in the age group of 6-7 years brought their toy guns at the ground of Tangjen Ningthou School in interior Thoubal district and set them ablaze, an official report said on Monday.
The children later launched a sit in protest and were joined by parents and local residents. The protest was organised by some district-based civil organisations including Life Care Foundation (LCF), Women Action For Development Centre (WADC) and Social Action Development Organisation (SADO).
Placards put up at the sit-in site read: 'No to gun, yes to peace,', 'Wake up 60 MLAs,' 'Abolish gun culture,' 'Train police to investigate any crime properly,' 'Respect human rights in Manipur'.
Speaking at the sit-in site, Mandir Laishram, secretary of SADO, said playing with toy guns may result in many unwanted incidents when the children grow up.
The issue of toy guns has become an issue of concern in the state, he said.
Th Arunkumar, secretary of LCF, said Manipur passed through numerous difficult phases including ethnic clashes, extortion from public by various outfits and insurgent activities in the past some decades.
Thousands of people have lost their lives and thousands of children become orphans in the past few decades, he said adding that insurgent problem is the main one confronting the state.
The Central government has sanctioned crores of rupees to control insurgent activities and it was now high time to bring a solution to the problem.
Local organisations and people also decided to prevent selling toy guns in the respective area of Tangjeng and surrounding places.