The situation in Manipur continues to worsen every day as incidents of ethnic violence show no signs of cessation. On Monday, July 17th, the United Naga Council (UNC) called for a 12-hour shutdown in Manipur from 6 am to 6 pm to oppose the killing of a woman belonging to the Maring Naga community in strife-torn Imphal.
According to the UNC, M Lucy Maring (57), who belonged to Beaulahram village in Chandel district, was killed by a mob at Sawombung in Imphal East district on Saturday, July 15th. Her killing instigated the Naga tribe to call for the 12-hour shutdown in Manipur.
“Since the beginning of this unfortunate conflict between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur, the Nagas have maintained that peace must prevail”, the UNC stated while condemning the attacks on the Naga tribes.
“Parties with vested interest who want to drag us into this conflict will not be spared and our patience should not be considered as a sign of weakness. Destroying our properties, torturing as well as humiliating us in the present conflict are not at all acceptable”, warned the Naga apex body.
Meanwhile, amid the 12-hour shutdown in Manipur, the UNC further demanded the state government to immediately constitute a “Judiciary Inquiry Committee” and arrest the perpetrators of the crime, including the “Meira Paibis”, who are allegedly complicit in the crime. The UNC demanded an “exemplary punishment” for the culprits.
Also, the UNC further demanded that the Meitei Civil Society Organisations should be equally held responsible for the murder of Maring.
“The cold-blooded killing of Naga sister Lucy Maring must be brought in the limelight of justice befittingly as per the Naga Customary Law (sic)”, the UNC said.
Maring was reportedly ailing from mental illness. On Saturday, she was found murdered in Imphal East. The woman was reportedly shot in the head and her face was disfigured.
On Sunday, the Manipur Police tweeted that nine accused, including five women, have been arrested in connection with the case and two guns, five rounds of ammunition and a car used in the crime were seized.
UNC’s 12-hour shutdown in Manipur affected the tribal-dominated hill districts, especially Chandel, Tengnoupal and Tamenglong districts. The shutdown’s impact was seen on the National Highway-37 (NH-37 or Imphal-Jiribam Road) and NH 102. There were several road blockades, which resulted in fewer vehicles plying on the roads.
However, no untoward incident was reported during Monday’s 12-hour shutdown in Manipur.
