HWA lays siege at Lamka town
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, January 16: Hmar Women Association today literally laid siege over a good part of Lamka town, after its volunteers allegedly forced all commercial establishments to down their shutters and blocked all forms of traffic at the sites of their sit-in-protests.

The imposition of 'bandh' like diktats on the hub of this tiny town too everyone by surprise as, except for the priorproclamation of holding a sit-in-protest on the day no additional intimation was made.

Members of the Hmar Women's Association staging a sit-in-protest at Lamka town and simultaneously blocking traffic

The decree began right after nine in the morning when banners were hoisted at two points and two wheelers parked to block the main road.

Thousands of women, all in their traditional attire sat on two columns along the road with placards that mainly directed its messages to the SPF Govt, Rajkhowa Commission and the proscribed UNLF and KCP.

Placards such as 'We want separate administration,' 'Do you want Manipur to become Sodom and Gomorrah,' 'MLAs your voters are being raped' supplemented the theme.

As to why the township was besieged only when a mere sit-in-protest was announced, some elderly women told this correspondent that there was no imposition as such for the closure, however their volunteers chose to dance the other way.

Apprehensive of the environment, passenger buses plying between Lamka and Imphal came up to only Tuibuang village, where the environment was secure. The two thousand odd women before concluding their protest submitted a representation addressed to the Governor demanding the report of Rajkhowa Commission be made public immediately and compensation of Rs.5 lakhs for each rape victims besides organizing counseling and trauma camp.

It also pleads for initiating necessary training facilities for the victims so as to enable them to start a new life.