Imphal, October 23: After the incident of gun-battle which broke out between the armed cadres of the proscribed KLA and KNA (P) at Saichang and Bongyang villages under Saikul block in the morning of October 18, around 300 villagers including women and children have fled their homesteads and taken refuge in relief camp at Itham Moirangpurel.

One woman villager was reportedly wounded in the incident while one cadre was killed and another injured from among the armed cadres.

Unnerved by violent incident, around 300 villagers including women and children fled and came down to Itham Moirangpurel in Andro Assembly Constituency of Imphal East District, which is located 1 km from Saichang and Bongyang villages.

The displaced villagers arrived at Itham Moirangpurel in the evening of October 18 and two relief camps were set up for them.

Since then, each of the households in Itham Moirangpurel area have been contributing rice, utensils, clothing and other essential items for the displaced villagers.

The local club and the meira paibis have been playing a major role in this regard.

Concerned with the plight of the displaced villagers, All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) today provided relief materials like rice and cereal at he relief camps.

The relief materials were presented during a simple function organised by Eastern Development Organisation with assistant secretary of AMUCO Sanjoy as chief guest and club president Biren Victor as functional president.

While accepting the relief aid on behalf of the displaced villagers, Ajang who have come from Saichang fervently appealed to all concerned not to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the villages and allowed them to live in peace.

He informed that people of Saichang and Bongyang villages have not been able to concentrate on their daily chores and students study in peace on account of the gun-battle between the armed cadres.

While appealing to the armed cadres to stop fighting, Ajang said displacement of the villagers from their homesteads when it is time for harvesting their crops grown in their fields has caused apprehension in their minds.

How the cattle and other domestic animals reared by the poor villagers would be surviving is not known, he added.

Ajang also expressed gratitude to the people of Itham Moirangpurel for providing shelter and looking after their needs.

Speaking at the occasion, assistant secretary of AMUCO Sanjoy observed that involving the villagers in the fighting between the two armed groups is really unfortunate.

The arms of the UG groups are not meant for targeting on the villagers nor for fratricidal killing.

There should be valid reason for taking up arms and if it is to cause suffering to the people, then there is no point in taking up arms.

So armed outfits should know their own enemies as well as of the people.

Sanjoy also came out strongly against the alleged silence of the local MLA and the failure of the Government agencies to take up necessary remedial measures inspite of the fact that the villagers have fled from their hearths and homes.

It would be a great loss for the future of Manipur if the displaced students cannot continue their studies.

They should also not been subjected to any sort of disturbances.

AMUCO presented six bags of rice and one bag of cereal to the villagers living in the two relief camps.

Comment