SDWA holds sit-in-demonstration & rally at Senapati against sexual assault

Senapati, July 22: Sit-in-demonstration and rally was held at Senapati bazaar on Saturday organised by the Senapati District Women Association (SDWA) under the aegis of the Naga Women’s Union (NWU).

Addressing the gathering, Asha Wungnam, president, NWU stated that everyone in the world witnessed the assault and harassment meted out to the 2 Kuki-Zo women. The women community strongly condemned such incidents to have perpetrated towards women as a tool during the violence. The women leader urged all to respect people with dignity and consider that each individual is one’s mother, one’s sisters and one’s wife.

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Similar sit-in-protest against the viral video incident was also organised at two places in Chandel and one each in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts on Friday, while sit-in-demonstration was organised in Senapati and Tamenglong districts on Saturday.

Different incidences of torture and harassments have been perpetrated towards the Nagas in the recent past on different occasions including brutal murder of a Maring Naga woman Lucy Marem during in the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur even though Nagas have been propagating active role for peace in the state. The Naga women in general condemned the horrific sexual assault and naked parade of women exposed in a viral video recently. Had everyone considered women as their own mothers, sisters and own wife, such incidents could have been ward off in the present scenario, NWU president exclaimed.

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Asha Wungnam regretted that the mob had done a grievous sin in the sight of god. Being a follower of a religion, one needs to forgive the past deeds but the dent of such incident would linger in the hearts of the people. The Naga women president also urged the gathering that everyone should condemn such barbaric action and that such incident should never take place within the Naga community.

Rally by around 3,000 women of Senapati district was carried out from Traffic Point to Old Toll Gate, Senapati with unequivocal slogan stating ‘We want justice’, ‘Punish the culprits’, ‘Stop violence against women.’

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A mass prayer was led by K. Matia, senior pastor for peace and for the ushering of truth to reign in the land.

Placards written with ‘Justice delayed, justice denied’, ‘Inhuman acts be condemned’, ‘Women are living entity, not commodity’, ‘We condemn the barbaric act’, ‘Justice for victims’, ‘Respect women who gave you birth’, ‘Stop violence against women’, etc. were held by women protestors.

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