KANGPOKPI: A protest rally was held in Kangpokpi on Saturday against the alleged abduction of two Kuki-Zo civilians from Taphou Kuki village by armed Tangkhul militants, with protesters marching from Brig. Thomas Ground to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and demanding their safe release.
The rally comes as the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) extended the ongoing shutdown in Kangpokpi district by another 24 hours, citing the continued failure of authorities to secure the safe recovery of the two civilians.
The shutdown, which was scheduled to conclude at 5 pm on October 31, has been extended until 5 pm on November 1, CoTU announced on Saturday.
The two civilians have been identified as Paoginlal Hangshing, 20, and Tinginlun Chongloi, 21.
During the rally, protesters raised slogans including “No Justice, No Rest”, “Where Are Our Boys – Paoginlal & Tinginlun”, “End the Bias Against Our Peoples”, “No Justice, No Lasting Peace” and “One Country, Two Laws”, expressing their grievances over the alleged abduction and what they described as discriminatory treatment of the Kuki-Zo community.
In a statement, CoTU expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of a satisfactory outcome, stating that the continued failure to secure the civilians’ release and address the concerns of the affected community was unacceptable.
The committee reiterated that the safe and immediate recovery of the two missing civilians, along with the delivery of justice, must remain the priority of the authorities. It called on the government and concerned agencies to act with urgency and accountability during the extended shutdown period.
CoTU warned that failure to secure a satisfactory resolution within the next 24 hours would compel the Kuki-Zo community to intensify its democratic agitation through further collective and sustained protests. It also appealed to the public to remain united, disciplined and peaceful while continuing to demand justice and the safe return of the missing civilians.
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Meanwhile, the Joint Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), a conglomerate of 21 civil society organisations in Kangpokpi, submitted a memorandum to union home minister Amit Shah through the deputy commissioner of Kangpokpi district, seeking his immediate intervention in the matter.
The memorandum, submitted in connection with the protest rally held in Kangpokpi on October 31, raised concerns over the alleged abduction of the two civilians by NSCN-IM cadres, discriminatory law enforcement and what the organisations described as the continued failure of the government to safeguard the constitutional rights and security of the Kuki-Zo people.
The CSOs demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the two civilians, appropriate legal action against those responsible, and measures to ensure their safety.
The memorandum also raised concerns over the alleged unequal application of law and the lack of adequate government intervention in addressing the security concerns of the Kuki-Zo community.
Citing the humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict, the organisations claimed that 31 Kuki-Zo civilians had been killed, 31 villages attacked, 271 houses burnt and at least 2,500 people displaced from their ancestral villages. The recent abduction, they said, had further aggravated the community’s insecurity.
The CSOs urged the Union government to ensure equal constitutional protection, accountability and impartial enforcement of law, stating that the security and rights of citizens must not be determined by political considerations.
They further called on the Union Home Minister to personally intervene and ensure the protection, security and dignity of the Kuki-Zo people.
The organisations maintained that their demands would continue to be pursued through peaceful, democratic and constitutional means until accountability was established and their concerns were addressed.
