Selective identification of travelers, targeted threats and intimidation to persons belonging to certain communities over the last one and half years have made the national highways extremely unsafe and highly risky, says IFM.
TFM Desk
Interfaith Forum Manipur (IFM), as a group of leaders belonging to diverse religions in the state, with serious concerns on the perceived and real threats and intimidation on the lives of common people traveling on the state and National highways, has appealed to state police, central paramilitary and military forces to ensure safety and security of all passengers in both the hills and valley areas.
In a statement, IFM convenor said that selective identification of travelers and targeted threats and intimidation to persons belonging to certain communities over the last one and half years have made the national highways extremely unsafe and highly risky. “No one rightful citizen of India from the valley has been able to travel by these roads to the neighboring states and nor any rightful citizens from the hill districts, particularly from Churachandpur, Moreh/Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi have been able to access essential services and work places through the valley areas because of the round the clock vigilance by non-state armed/unarmed volunteers”, said IFM.
Prolonged deprivation of citizens’ rights to safe and secure travel on the national highways amidst uncontrolled and unrestrained mutual threats and intimidation to life of the common people belonging to conflicting communities by non-state groups is also causing serious psychological, social and economic impacts among the poorer sections of society on both sides, pointed out IFM. The forum further added that without official declaration of Emergency in Manipur, the unofficial/illegal restrictions on the citizens’ rights to free mobility within the state and outside the state, is not only violation of fundamental rights of citizens but also hindrance to relief and rehabilitation efforts for thousands of displaced people and the Central Government’s peace initiatives.
“The poorer many, affected by the ethnic violence, have been spending five to ten times more in traveling by air to the nearest city outside the state. This is an unbearable burden for the poorer sections of society. Security barriers put up by security forces in the inter-district boundaries without any control over the non-state vigilance groups posing threats to life of common people is creating psychological and social distance between ethnic communities of the hills and valley, hence, a block to peace”, said IFM.
The forum stated, “We, as citizens of India, therefore, humbly appeal to the Union Home Ministry to ensure safety and security of people on the national highways passing through Manipur hills and valley to travel freely without any fears, threats and intimidation in upholding the State’s obligations to protect the life of all citizens without any discrimination.”