Moreh, February 27: The Hill Tribal Council (HTC), Moreh today organised a rally to protest the kidnapping of two former office-bearers of JAC for Integrated Check Post Affected Land Owners of Moreh allegedly by a Kuki underground outfit, which is one of the signatories to SoO on February 20 and 21.
The two persons said to have been kidnapped by the underground outfit are ex-chairman and ex-secretary Semjathang Haokip (55), son of Paojathang and Ngamjathang Lhungdim (60), son of Late Ngamkhothong Lhungdim of Moreh Ward No.1.
The rally, in which about 1,000 people took part, started from near Moreh Police Station on NH-39 and passed through Moreh town.
The HTC had yesterday charged the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) with kidnapping and detaining the two persons.
The rallyists today shouted slogans such as "We want them home immediately," "Mr DC Chandel, release our cheque immediately to UBI Moreh or Forget ICP," etc. The rallyists also demanded safe release of the two kidnapped persons.
Members of Kuki Women Union on Human Rights and those land owners affected by the construction of ICP, Moreh took part in the rally.
President of HTC Moreh, Jangmang Haokip submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Manipur through the Addl Deputy Commissioner, Moreh, of which copies were also submitted to Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai, Joint Secretary, NE in-Charge, Ministry of Home Affairs, Navin Verma, Director, MHA, Mrs R Jaya and Dy Commissioner, Chandel.
In the memoradum, the HTC appealed for release of Semjathang Haokip and Ngamjathang Lhungdim and demanded immediate release of ICP compensation.
The memorandum stated that Semjathang Haokip and Ngamjathang Lhungdim of Moreh Ward No 1, ex-chairman and ex-secretary of the now defunct JAC for ICP were kidnapped on February 20 and 21 last by the UKLF (SoO signatory UG). The two captives were forcibly made to give false allegations to the media so as to disturb disbursement of the ICP compensation.
It stated that with the abolition of the JAC for ICP in the year 2008, the affected pattadars have entrusted and authorised the HTC, Moreh to pursue all mattes relating to the compensation. Accordingly, the HTC had taken all initiatives till today.
It further stated that as per the prayer and wishes of all the affected pattadars, chequs had been issued to them by the DC, Chandel to be drawn at the UBI, Moreh. Unfortunately, instead of taking facts from the genuine affected pattadars at the spot, the DC soliciting the false allegation of the JAC notified the UBI, Moreh to cease payment.
After patiently waiting for all these years for the compensation, the agitated affected pattadars can no longer tolerate any further dealy in the release of compensation, it stated.
"The question now is whether the government under your honourable kindself is going to listen to the genuine affected pattadars or a non-entity such as the JAC, which no longer exist," the memorandum stated.
In the backdrop of these facts, the HTC organised today's rally, its president Jangmang Haokip stated and appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene immediately to rescue and get the two kidnapped persons released from their captors and bring them home safe and sound, and also to revoke immediately the notice issued by the DC, Chandel to the UBI so that the ICP affected families may draw their compensation at the earliest.
