IMPHAL, Feb 8: The Hmar People`™s Convention-D has condemned the killing of its cadre Gideon Joute by a group of expelled cadres of the outfit led by Vanlalsawm Ralte alias Sawma alias Oliver Hmar last Sunday.
In a press statement issued by its secretary of information and publicity, the HMD(D) claimed that Joute was killed in a covert operation carried out jointly by the renegade faction and central security force. If the operation had official sanction, why were not the civil police aware of its happening, it questioned.
Similarly, the combination of its former cadres and security personnel has wrecked havoc at Saikawt and Saidan villages in Churachandpur in the recent past.
It regretted that the army and Assam Rifles have taken side with the expelled cadres without ascertaining the truth of the internal leadership tussle within the HPC-D and urged the security force to stay away from meddling with the internal affairs of the Hmar community. Instead, they should support the peace measures initiated by the Hmar Inpui and Hmar Christian Leader`™s Forum, it suggested. on the request of the two frontal civilian organisations of the community, the HPC-D has been exercising great restraint despite numerious provocation from the rebels. However, the brutal murder of Joute has compelled it to re-think its policy of restraint and denunciation of blood letting among the Hmar community. As far as the cold blooded murder of Joute is concerned none can and should hold the HPC-D responsible, it stated.