Rights groups decry Moreh killing

From Our Correspondent

CHURACHANDPUR | July 24

The general secretary of the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), Kimneihoi Lhungdim in a release today said the KWOHR is outraged by the senseless killing of Nengneingah Khongsai on July 23 at her residence by a cadre of KNO/KNA, Seikhosat Haokip.

KWOHR also stated that the crime perpetrated by a national worker is beyond belief and intolerable to the student community and the society and further appealed to the leaders of armed organisation(s) to forewarn their cadres to avoid such recurrence in the society.

The organisation has also called upon the authority concerned of the state government to award befitting punishment to the perpetrator of the crime.

Further, KWOHR has extended its condolence to the bereaved families and friends of the victim.

People for Human Rights and Climate Change (PHRCC) also expressed their deep regret on the killing of Nengneingah.

PHRCC said in a release that the killing of civilians has increased tremendously in Manipur within this year. Out of which the incident of killing of Nengneingah has been the most unfortunate as the accused is from an armed insurgent group who are SoO signatories.

PHRCC has drawn attention of the government of India to clarify to the people of Manipur that from where the insurgent group acquired the weapon which is supposed to be in the custody of the government.

The government of India must review the peace agreement which was signed between the armed groups and must conduct investigation upon the group which has committed crimes against women and children, said the release.

It urged the state government to award befitting punishment to the killer, followed by investigation upon the authority concerned that is responsible for keeping the weapons under SoO and also urged the armed groups to ratify the Geneva Call especially, deed of commitment protecting children in armed conflict and deed of commitment prohibiting sexual violence and gender discrimination.

North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) also strongly condemned the murder of the teenage girl student Nengneingah Khongsai of Mount Moreh High School at Gilgal Veng by her boyfriend Seikhosat Haokip on July 23.

A release said, crime against women and children is drastically on the rise in Manipur and any armed person is moving without any restriction. It is unfortunate that the authority concerned is still not doing anything. Though, the armed groups who are under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Government of India should be kept under the supervision of authority concerned.

Moreover, the Government of India and Manipur Government should strictly monitor the movement of insurgent groups as well as the security forces towards civilian. As it may mentioned that a woman named A Shanti was also shot dead by suspected Assam Rifles personnel on April 22, said NEDF in the release.

The forum further stated that there had been a serial killing of about four cases meted out to women and girls within a short span from February to July of this year.

NEDF has appealed the state government to investigate on the cases and to act honestly to give justice to the victims and also urged the entire armed group to act under the provision provided under SoO.

 Dead body: Students from different schools of Moreh town gathered together along the way to Moreh and received the dead body of Nengneingah Khongsai, who was shot dead by her boyfriend yesterday.

The students took the body, which was brought back after post-mortem in Imphal and walked all the way to the residence of the deceased. The students also gave floral tributes to Nengneingah Khongsai.