Hyderabad Manipuri Society Holds Sit-In Protest Demanding Peace and Integrity

With demands to restore peace in violence-hit Manipur as well as protect its integrity, the Hyderabad Manipuri Society (HYMS) held a sit-in protest at Dharna Chowk on Sunday. Around 450 members who gathered at the site raised slogans echoing their demands.

"As a civil society group and as Manipuris staying away from home, it has become important for us to be vocal about our current situation to garner the attention and support of the entire world to bring about a resolution to this conflict," said Dinesh Lourembam, secretary of HYMS, working as a techie in the



city.

"We consider the current situation as a national emergency which if not tackled in time will lead to a much worse humanitarian catastrophe," he said. The society said the present situation was the result of deforestation to increase illegal poppy cultivation to help drug cartels involved in narco terrorism.

This was affecting not only Manipur but all northeastern states. There is also.an influx of illegal migrants into these states from across the borders. These need to be stopped for peace to return to Manipur.