Terror descends on Kuki villages

Imphal, June 01: A reign of terror has been let loose in the Kuki villages located in the vicinity of Liplen Kuki village, near where 11 personnel of the 25th Assam Rifles were killed in an ambush last Monday, according to reports from the area. Reports said at least 28 villagers of Dongsung and Liplen Kuki villagers were seriously injured after they were brutally assaulted and tortured by Assam Rifles personnel last night and this morning. In all 24 of the injured villagers have been admitted to JN hospital. The condition of some of them is described as critical when 1FP did a round this evening. According to the victims, some troops of the Assam Rifles led by a captain turned up at Dongsung village last night at around 10 pm, picked out four villagers, and beat them up badly. This morning, the AR troops entered Liplen Kuki village, gathered the menfolk at the village playground, and brutally assaulted them after striping them of their clothing. The reports said some of the youth were tortured by inserting sticks in their anuses, and salt and chilli rubbed in their wounds. The AR personnel reportedly accused the villagers of helping the Kuki Revolutionary Army, KRA, in the ambush that killed 11 AR personnel. Those admitted to JN hospital include the chief olf Liplen Kuki village, Paolun Haokip, 35, Thangboi Haokip, 27, Hamlian Haokip, 17, Halen Haokip, 24, Seibol Haokip, 20, Mangcha Haokip, 20, Thanchi Haokip, 50, Paocha Haokip, Thamkholun, 45, Lamsit Haokip, 43, Mancheh Haokip, 35, Thanglun Haokip, 25, Thanglen Haokip, 35, Senjin Haokip, 31, Paolun Haokip, 35, Kheijang Haokip, 35, Paolen Haokip, 40, Yanglun, 35, and Paoboi, 30. From Dongsung village, those injured arc Paolen Haokip, 35, Thanggin Haokip, 30, Letyang Haokip, 35, and N Khamlong Haokip, 30. The Kuki Movement for Human Rights, KMHR, in the meantime has urgently drawn the attention of the state chief minister, O Ibobi Singh to stop the Assam Rifles from terrorizing the villagers. In a second open letter, the KMHR also sought government assistance to evacuate the injured to hospitals, charging that the AR was refusing to allow their evacuation. The KMHR said that a youth, identified as Jangngam Guite was reported as having been tied with a rope to a Gypsy and dragged from Molnom village towards Litan police station. It said his whereabouts are unknown, but bloodstains have been found on the road. Many others have been picked up without arrest warrant and their fate too is unknown, it said. Copies of the open letter, which carried graphic pictures of those injured as a result of the AR's atrocities, have been sent to the Prime Minister, the Union home minister, the Governor of Manipur, state MP Holkhomang Haokip, DGP, Manipur, IG, AR, as well as to Amnesty International, the National Human Rights Commission and the Manipur Human Rights Commission. The KMHR also charged the NSCN(IM) of masterminding the attack, using "misguided" Kuki youth of the KRA, as well as the United Kuki Liberation Front, UKLF, to indulge in such acts inviting retaliation to the innocent Kukis.