Chandel road blocked against proposed sheltering of KCP (L) cadres at 8 MR camp
Local women check AR vehicles to see if KCP (L) cadres are escorted to Chandel
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Gyanand Naorem

Chandel, November 13 2010: Civil Organisations of Chandel district today blocked the Chandel-Imphal road to protest the State government's decision to shelter the surrendered cadres of KCP(Lallumba) at the camp of 8 MR at Leikul in Chandel district.

Local women of Chandel area blocked the road with logs of tree, bamboos, stones and burned old tires near Komlathabi, Saint Paul on Imphal-Chandel road from around 2pm.However, passenger and goods carrying vehicles were allowed to pass by taking a diversion around that area.

The local people believed that the surrendered cadres of KCP(L) could be brought to the MR camp at Leikul by Assam Rifles.

Imphal-Chandel road being blocked by Chandel women

Around 5pm, while the women were blocking the road, some vehicles of Assam Rifles from the camp of 26 Sector AR, Pallel came towards Chandel.

The women stopped the AR vehicles and told the troops that they have heard that AR personnel would be bringing the surrendered cadres of KCP(L), and that they would check if there are KCP(L) cadres among them on the vehicles.

The AR personnel told the women that they went to the Sector HQ and they did not bring the KCP(L) cadres.

However, the women protesters insisted that they would check the vehicles, and if they were not bringing the cadres, the AR personnel would be allowed to pass.

Thus the women check the vehicles to see if there were any Manipuri fellows.

They even checked the identity card of one Manipuri AR personnel.

Later the troops were allowed to pass by taking a diversion.

President of All Tribal Women Organisation (ATWO), Lalam Mate told reporters on the spot that the civil organisations of Chandel district have been maintaning that the KCP(L) cadres should not be sheltered in Chandel areas.

They have submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister in this regard.

But the state government has not considered the local people's pleas, instead they have received information that AR troops would escort the cadres to the 8 MR camp.

Unless and until the state government gives a concrete assurance that the KCP(L) cadres would not be accommodated at the 8 MR camp in Chandel district, the various civil organisations would continue to block the road.

However, they would not obstruct the movement of the people for the time being, Lalam Mate said adding that they would continue to organise various forms of agitations.

Meanwhile, another memorandum would be submitted to the Chief Minister soon, he said.