GUWAHATI: The chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya have appealed to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Union Home Secretary and the Director of Intelligence Bureau for the early release of six Naga and 14 Kuki civilians who were among those abducted in Manipur following the May 13 killings of three Thadou church leaders in state’s Kangpokpi district.
In a letter to the United Naga Council (UNC), Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said he held telephonic conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking the immediate release of six Naga men abducted in Manipur.
“I requested his personal intervention and urged that all possible efforts be made by the Government of India to trace the six abducted persons, secure their release and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Rio wrote.
Rio said Shah assured him that the matter would be accorded the highest priority and that all necessary measures would be taken by the concerned agencies to trace the abducted persons, identify those responsible for the abduction, and ensure that the law takes its course.
Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma said he is deeply pained by the continued captivity of the civilians in violence-hit Manipur.
“The abduction of civilians who have no role in any conflict inflicts unbearable pain and deepens divisions within our society. Mothers, children, and elders are living in fear and uncertainty. Such acts only widen the gap between communities that have lived together for generations,” Sangma wrote in a letter addressed to the UNC and the Kuki Inpi Manipur.
Sangma appealed for the immediate release of all “hostages” and called for their safety, medical care, food, and communication with families. He urged all parties to pursue dialogue rather than violence.“…Let this act of compassion mark the beginning of healing for Manipur. The people of the Northeast are watching, and history will remember those who choose humanity in times of conflict,” Sangma further stated.
