OVER 400 CIVILIANS KIDNAPPED - STUDENTS PROTEST
STORY: Scores of students from India's remote northeastern region staged a silent protest outside police headquarters in New Delhi on Monday (March 26)against what they said police action during a rally last week Wearing black bands covering their mouths, the students belonging to Kuki tribe of Manipur were protesting the lathicharge on them by Delhi police on Saturday (March 24). The students were demonstrating against abduction of people by rebels in the state.
Police cane charged the students, who wanted to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister. The police arrested several more than 200 students, while many were injured in cane charging.
"Just because they insisted to meet the Prime Minister they were being
Baton-charged and the women assaulted by male policemen. This is no way of civilized security force dealing with democratic protest," said Pauline Haoke, spokesperson of the Kuki Students' Organisation.
The protesting students also demanded the release of those taken into
custody."I would expect the government to immediately release the detained students first of all. Second I would ask the government to look at issues back home particularly landmine issues and release the 480 civilians,"said Thathem Kipgen, a Kuki student.
Chief of Manipur O. Ibobi Singh said the government was trying to sort out the matter with the federal government.
"They have some problems there. We have taken up. We will try to solve
in consultation with the centre," he said.
The students claim at least 400 villagers from Laijang in Chandel district of the state were forcefully taken across the border to neighbouring Myanmar by United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a rebel group fighting for an independent Manipur.
Manipur is one of the seven states in India's northeast, home to more than 200 tribes. The remote area, ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan,has been racked by separatist insurgencies since India gained independence from Britain in 1947.
In 2004 the Indian army had launched a major operation in Manipur, and said it had inflicted heavy losses on both the UNLF and other rebel groups.
The UNLF said it was prepared to lay down arms if Indian government agreedto a U.N.-monitored plebiscite in Manipur, withdraw its armed forces and allowU.N. peacekeepers into the former princely state.
India has stationed around 50,000 soldiers in Manipur, though there is
widespread popular resentment against the military's powers to arrest and killsuspects.
RGDS,
NNNN
OVER 400 CIVILIANS KIDNAPPED - STUDENTS PROTEST STORY: Scores of students from India's remote northeastern region staged a silent protest outside police headquarters in New Delhi on Monday (March 26)against what they said police action during a rally last week Wearing black bands covering their mouths, the students belonging to Kuki tribe of Manipur were protesting the lathicharge on them by Delhi police on Saturday (March 24). The students were demonstrating against abduction of people by rebels in the state. Police cane charged the students, who wanted to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister. The police arrested several more than 200 students, while many were injured in cane charging."Just because they insisted to meet the Prime Minister they were beingBaton-charged and the women assaulted by male policemen. This is no way of civilized security force dealing with democratic protest," said Pauline Haoke, spokesperson of the Kuki Students' Organisation. The protesting students also demanded the release of those taken intocustody."I would expect the government to immediately release the detained students first of all. Second I would ask the government to look at issues back home particularly landmine issues and release the 480 civilians,"said Thathem Kipgen, a Kuki student. Chief of Manipur O. Ibobi Singh said the government was trying to sort out the matter with the federal government. "They have some problems there. We have taken up. We will try to solvein consultation with the centre," he said.The students claim at least 400 villagers from Laijang in Chandel district of the state were forcefully taken across the border to neighbouring Myanmar by United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a rebel group fighting for an independent Manipur. Manipur is one of the seven states in India's northeast, home to more than 200 tribes. The remote area, ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan,has been racked by separatist insurgencies since India gained independence from Britain in 1947. In 2004 the Indian army had launched a major operation in Manipur, and said it had inflicted heavy losses on both the UNLF and other rebel groups. The UNLF said it was prepared to lay down arms if Indian government agreedto a U.N.-monitored plebiscite in Manipur, withdraw its armed forces and allowU.N. peacekeepers into the former princely state. India has stationed around 50,000 soldiers in Manipur, though there iswidespread popular resentment against the military's powers to arrest and killsuspects. RGDS,NNNN