Hmarkhawlien condemns violence, pitches for peace

From our Special Correspondent

Silchar, Jan 31: Hmarkhawlien, the second largest Hmar village of Assam in the Lakhipur sub division of Cachar, 40 km from here, has risen as one man to condemn violence of all sorts and unite for peace and tranquillity. As a mark of solidarity, around 1500 citizens including school and college going students joined together and brought out a silent procession which marched down from the village council office to the SDO (Civil) establishment at Lakhipur town. The procession organized by the Hmarkhawlien village council had marchers, carrying banners and play-cards which read, ‘we do not want gun culture’, ‘we are peace loving citizens’, ‘we want peace and not violence’.

 The procession was brought out against the backdrop of the recent shoot out and killing of a person of the village identified as Norbert Sate (51) owing his allegiance to HPC (Chairman Party) in dialogue with the Mizoram Government. Though the police is investigating the incident in order to ascertain the group behind the killing and the cause for it, peace loving people of Hmarkhawlien have come out on the streets to convey the message that they discard the atmosphere of hatred and animosity.

In a memorandum submitted to the SDO (Civil), J R Lalsim, Hmarkhawlien village council drew her attention to the problem faced by the people of the village from the threat of suspected militant groups. Some of these organizations, it said, have been unleashing terror and creating a sense of panic among the people for quite some time. This has been the prevailing situation since January 27. The memorandum adds to say that these groups are indulging in killing and terrorizing the local populace. As a sequel to their terror activity, women and children are greatly scared.

 In view of the panicky situation, the village council has reached out with an appeal to the government and the administrative machinery to provide adequate and proper security to the people of Hmarkhawlien so that no such untoward incident occurs in future. The council has also called upon the SDO (Civil) to provide a permanent security base to be stationed in the very heart of the village. The memorandum signed by R Hnethanga, president, village council, and Dolur Hmar, president, Hmar Youth Aassociation, Hmarkhawlien branch, along with Lalthuthlung Hmar and Emmanuel Lalthavel, secretaries of village council and HYA respectively, has reiterated their resolve to condemn in unequivocal terms the activity of the so called militant groups who have no regard for life as well as wellbeing of people. It has also resolved to have no support for any terror groups and at the same time expect that no such reprehensible act will take place in future.