Imphal, September 19, 2009: The 60 hours general strike called by the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup with effect from September 19 till 6 pm of September 21 has been called off in view of the Id-ul-Fitr and Mera Chaoren Houba festivals.

Nevertheless, a press release issued by the Apunba Lup called upon all sections of the society to participate fully in the next course of agitation that it would be launching soon.

Maintaining that the facts of the July 23 fake encounter should never be allowed to disappear, the Apunba Lup asserted that the people of Manipur strongly objected the practice of giving rewards to security forces for killing innocent people.

Neither mock bombs, rubber bullets, tear gas shells nor detention of some leaders of the Apunba Lup and other civil organisations under NSA would never succeed in derailing the mass movement against the Kwairamband killing.

Observing that the situation has the potential to aggravate into a catastrophic level, the Apunba Lup maintained that it would be in the best interest of all for Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to resign on his own.

Otherwise it would amount to inviting for a civil war, it cautioned.

Pointing out that the students of Manipur have suspended their studies in denunciation of the fake encounters and extra-judicial killings, the Apunba Lup asserted that it's time for the MLAs and Ministers to wake up from their slumber and stop supporting Chief Minister Ibobi.

It's time for the MLAs and Ministers to acknowledge the justified movement of the people.

The Apunba Lup asked what has been keeping the MLAs and Ministers mum all these days after the Khwairamband killings.

Whether it is their jealousy for ministerial berths or other official posts or money, it asked.

People know all those Ministers and their agents who have been working hard to subdue the people's movement at the behest of Chief Minister Ibobi, with the money he doled out.

Despotic rule and money power can never suppress any genuine mass movement.

No genuine mass movement ended in defeat in the history of the world, the Apunba Lup asserted.

Calling upon all sections of the society including politicians and intellectuals in bringing a solution to the prevailing volatile situation, the Apunba Lup appealed to the people to be the principal force behind all movements until Okram Ibobi is pulled down from his seat.

It also conveyed gratitude to the people for actively participating in all protest movements undertaken till date.

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