The heinous crime against two women in violence-hit Manipur has drawn more condemnations from various organizations.
NGBF: Nagaland Gaonburah (Village Chiefs) Federation (NGBF) has vehemently condemned the horrific video of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district after violence.
NGBF said that such shameful and heinous act has put the nation in complete shock and placed all in an awkward situation before the world. NGBF expressed deep anguish over the situation in Manipur where even mentally challenged old women were not spared.
While pointing out that the incidents in Manipur was a dangerous trend that could spread like wildfire in other parts of India, NGBF said that the nation has completely failed in maintaining law and order and that the heads of the governing bodies were shying away from their responsibilities.
“Forget about what the law says, we have lost the very essence of being human. Even during the headhunting era, such an ugly incident had never been recorded. We have given extra care and love for our women and children,” it stated. It, therefore, appealed to all, cutting across party lines, to come together and condemn the incident and demand strict action against the perpetrators of the despicable act.
The federation said that the government of the day, both at the Centre and the state, “must take moral responsibility of the unfortunate incident and take up all the necessary steps to ensure justice to our daughters or else step down immediately.”
It said that any government failing to protect women, children and minority have no right to remain in power.
Watsu Mungdang: Apex women organization of the Aos, the Watsu Mungdang, has condemned the horrific and barbaric incident where two Kuki-Zo women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a large mob.
Wastu Mungdang president S. Arenla Longkumer and general secretary Sungtiriben said there was no words to describe the gruesome and inhuman act. Even though the ethnic violence in Manipur had been ongoing for two months now, where hundreds had been killed and thousands displaced, the Watsu Mungdang wondered why it took so long for authorities to take action.
They lamented that it was only after the ghastly visuals of the two women made the nation wake up and break silence. The power holders, star anchors, TV media had all miserably failed the public, it stated. The Watsu Mungdang urged the Central government, Manipur government and National Commission for Women to take cognizance of the offence and take all necessary measures to bring justice for the horrifying ordeal suffered by those innocent women.
NDPP: Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) said it was appalled and shocked at the recent emergence of a viral video where two tribal sisters were paraded naked, molested and raped by a mob in Manipur.
NDPP said that such barbaric and horrific acts do not belong in a civilized society, let alone at an age when the whole world was all propagating and promoting gender equality.
This act of two innocent unarmed women being the victims of a large group of heavily armed men was highly condemnable, NDPP said and urged the concerned authorities to ensure that justice was duly served at the earliest. In fact, it said the horrendous incident was one of many more such acts of human rights abuse, adding that India and humanity has been shamed.
The party fervently appealed to the government of India to not only take the highest possible action against the perpetrators of the crime against humanity, but to take concrete steps to rebuild the confidence of the people and also ensure that order was restored.
The Centre must do everything possible to end this senseless violence and anarchy that has gripped Manipur, it stated.
Further, NDPP said it was pained that those innocent women and the people of Manipur were undergoing this unwarranted manmade tragedy that has engulfed the whole state for over 70 days.
The NDPP expressed solidarity with the people suffering and in pain and said that the party was prepared to extend any support if needed towards achieving the goal of restoring normalcy.
NDPP further appealed to the people of Nagaland to continue to uphold Manipur and her citizens in prayers and continue extending whole hearted help and support as and where required.
AGEI: The Assemblies of God of East India has condemned the heinous crime in the strongest of terms where two Kuki-Zo tribal women were paraded naked and gang-raped in Manipur.
AGEI through its general superintendent Rev. Moses Murry urged the law enforcing agencies to deal with the culprits in the strongest possible manner.
While expressing pained to see such atrocities committed in a grave violation of human rights, AGEI further demanded that the accused persons must be prosecuted under relevant sections of the law.
Further, AGEI also condemned the threat and attacks on Christian minorities, where many churches were torched down and Christians targeted.
Terming it as “inhuman, undemocratic and appalling fanatical position”, AGEI said such attacks against Christians was unjustified and unfair.
Every citizen irrespective of one’s religion should be respected and protected, it added and called upon the authorities to provide a conducive environment of equality for all of its citizens.
“We stand in solidarity with all the victims of violence in Manipur. We express our sympathy and pray that God would bring peace and harmony to the region, and that there would be an end to the violence and communal conflict,” Rev Moses stated.
NNC (PB): The Naga National Council (Parent Body) has vehemently condemned the barbaric and heinous crime committed by “the Hindu-dominant Meitei community against the innocent women of the Kuki-Zomi community in Manipur.”
The council’s vice president Zhiongba Yimkhiung said it was a vicious crime not only against womenfolk but against humanity at large.
NNC (PB) alleged that it was essentially done on religious grounds of “Hindutva policy by the state government headed by N. Biren Singh, an instrument of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur.”
The council alleged that “the Meitei community, which is predominantly Hindu, have destroyed and burned down a total of 257 churches in Manipur valley, mercilessly killed innocent Christians with sophisticated weapons which were allowed to be taken from the police armoury, burned down all the villages of the Christian Kuki-Zomi community in the Imphal valley and nearby foothills. Religious motives and agenda drove these systematic and planned operations.”
For the past 77 days, NNC (PB) said that the barbaric crimes were committed at the highest degree against Christians in Manipur, allegedly under the watch of the Centre.
In fact, NNC (PB) said this was the biggest and most fierce persecution against Christians in the history of the modern world.
The council, therefore, appealed to all the Christians in the Northeast region and the world at large to unite and stand together to overcome these tough and challenging persecutions in this part of the world. “May God bless, protect and help the Christians in the region,” it said.
ZYON: Zeliangrong Youth Organization Nagaland (ZYON) has expressed shocked and condemned the crime and violence against women reportedly during the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Manipur.
ZYON said it was aggrieved to see the outrageous videos where Meitei women folks were seen handing over tribal girls to the Meitei youth and dragged elsewhere after which they were allegedly raped and murdered. ZYON said the inhuman act of Meiteis women folks, supporting crime against women was highly condemnable and beyond expression.
ZYON pointed out that “the culture and tradition of the head hunting tribals warrior man folks keep the safety and protection of the women as the prime duty and protect till their last breath and even honor the women of the enemies…”
It said that the murder of late M. Lucy a Naga women on June 15 by the radical Meiteis was beyond expression, and the gravity of the crime was beyond measures and cannot be term as mis-identified.
ZYON said it was also shocked by the inhuman and barbaric act of the radical Meiteis youth where Zeliangrong youths were tortured physically time and again in different district of the Manipur.
The youth body said it was loud and clear that the issue was of mis-identification but an intentional and a direct challenge to the Zeliangrong community. Cautioning that any good will mission after committing torture would not yield any good sense, the youth body warned to not provoke anymore.
The youth organization has demanded capital punishment against the murderer and rapist and the accomplices so that justice was delivered to deceased and victim.
It further appealed to the law enforcement agencies and judicial system in Manipur to conduct a thorough investigation to identify the culprit(s) and bring them to justice. ZYON urged the authorities to ensure that the investigation was conducted without any bias or prejudice.