The women's wing of the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) on Thursday appealed for the safe and immediate release of six people - three women and three children including an infant - kidnapped by suspected Kuki insurgents from Manipur's Jiribam district.
The women leaders of the valley-dominant Meitei community in a statement demanded immediate and serious intervention from the highest levels of the government to ensure safe release of the kidnapped civilians.
They said if the women and children are harmed, the authorities will have to take responsibility.
Not taking visible action to ensure the safe release of the six hostages may deepen public mistrust and fuel perception that the government is "complicit in perpetuating violence for political ends, including the potential division of Manipur along ethnic lines", the DMCC said.
They said failure to secure release of the six civilians would not only "signal an erosion of the Indian state's moral and protective authority but also raise grave questions about the purpose and implications of continued support under the suspension of operations (SoO) framework".
"The government must recognise that the safety of these women and children is not just a humanitarian concern but a test of its commitment to peace and unity in Manipur," they said.
The father of two children - who were kidnapped along with their mother and three others - yesterday appealed to the authorities to find them as soon as possible. Two other women from the family, and an eight-year-old child are also missing.
At least 10 suspected Kuki insurgents were shot dead in Jiribam on Monday. Kuki groups have alleged they were "village volunteers" who were shot from behind by the CRPF without any provocation, an allegation the Manipur Police have denied.
Members of the Meitei community held candlelight vigil and protests in some cities to draw attention to the situation back home. In the state capital Imphal, hundreds came in front of the Kangla Fort and lit candles in a silent protest.
The vigil at Kangla Fort area, organised by TMP Manipur, Yelhoumee Furup, EMA Trust, and Taragi Cheishu, was a powerful reminder of the Meiteis' unity and unwavering spirit, the organisers said, adding they stand together for justice and peace.
Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Dr RK Nimai and community elders from the Tangkhul, Chiru, Anal, and Phaomei tribes attended the candlelight vigil. Their presence showed powerful solidarity and support for peace and the safe return of the kidnapped civilians, the organisers said.
"We stand here united with the hope that the six people will be released safely. It is very unfortunate that a toddler, a two-year-old and an eight-year-old, who have nothing to do with politics or any of this, have been included among those abducted. We request all the concerned that they be released safely at the earliest," Dr Nimai, a senior member of the the think tank 'Taragi Cheisu', told reporters in front of the Kangla Fort.
Candlelight vigils were also seen in Jiribam, the epicentre of the latest round of violence, seeking the safe release of the six hostages.
In another huge development today, the Centre reimposed a law to protect security forces in hostile areas in several new locations in ethnic violence-hit Manipur. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been reimposed in six police station areas including Jiribam.
The AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the military to operate freely anywhere that has been declared a "disturbed area"; no military personnel in an area where AFSPA is in force can be prosecuted without the Centre's permission.
The AFSPA reimposition will allow the security forces to freely engage armed groups that have not signed any ceasefire deal with the government.
