Displaced residents of Moreh serve ultimatum
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 19: Some residents of the border town who had to leave their homes to accommodate personnel of the 7 Manipur Rifles have set a deadline of April 25 to vacate the houses failing which intense movement would be launched.

A JAC has also been constituted to take up the cause of about 14 families whose members total 93, including about 22/23 children and had been living at rented quarters after high tension simmered in the town following violent clashes between two armed groups on June 9, 2007.

Private houses vacated by their owners being occupied by MR men; bunkers in private compounds

The houses mostly located in adjoining zones of different communities were abandoned due to escalation of tension and stationing of the MR personnel to prevent outbreak of violence in the communally sensitive town.

Conveying grievances to this correspondent elders of the affected families narrated that since they left home and the security personnel moved in they (families) had to look out for alternative shelter.

As moving in to neighbour or relative's place is out of the question the only option left was to stay at rented quarters and pay for the same, the elders maintained adding that with the Government not taking up any redressal measures toiling for paying the rents has been depleting family economy.

"We no longer expect any assistance from the Government and as such our main objective is to press for vacating security personnel from our own houses," they affirmed.

According to JAC president T Biren recalled of an earlier meeting with the DGP, Moreh ADC and SDPO (Moreh) wherein the Government representatives had assured of extending monthly compensation to the affected families.

Neither have the financial assistances provided nor did the the Government cared to inquire grievances of the families whose members are mostly daily wage earners, Biren fumed while expressing that in trying to meet living expenditure (rent) family members are on the verge of starvation.

Chipping in, a JAC vice president highlighted that in the interest of the people of Moreh the MR perssonel were allowed to stay in the private residences.

However, no community or individual are coming forth to alleviate the suffering mentally and financially, he decried.

Expressing strong resentment at the alleged indifferent attitude to the problem inspite of being fully aware that affected families are facing severe inconveniences, he cautioned that any untoward incident arising out of JAC's proposed movement should be the responsibility of the Government.