Manipur women take to streets to protest gun attacks by armed men

IMPHAL: Thousands of women, primarily Meira Paibis (women torch bearers), took to the streets across the five districts of Imphal valley in Manipur on Thursday afternoon in protest against frequent gun attacks by armed men at villages near the hills close to the valleys.

Organised by the civil body People’s Alliance for Peace and Progress Manipur, women at Singjamei, Kakwa, and Heingang in Imphal West district raised slogans to protect “the territorial and administrative integrity” of Manipur, denouncing the gun attacks by the armed men targeting villagers.

Protesters also called for the cancellation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement signed between the Kuki militants and the Entral government.

Similar human chain protests were also held at Khurai Lamlong and Kongba in Imphal East district, Lilong in Thoubal district, and Moirang Lamkhai in Bishnupur district.

The protest comes as Imphal valley has been recently witnessing renewed attacks by suspected militants in Imphal East district, Sugnu in Kakching district, and Kadangband in Imphal West district. On Tuesday, a 25-year-old village volunteer was killed and two others were injured in a gunfight between two warring communities at Pukhao Shantipur in Imphal East district.