Sources said that 4 women from Parvachawm, a remote village in Churachandpur district in Manipur-Mizoram border which is just a few kilometers from the nearest Mizoram village ‘Daido’ set out for Vanbawng on 26 May, 2015 carrying piglets in the hope of selling them in the neighbourhood. The four women reached Vanbawng about dusk and stayed in their friend’s house at night. In the morning of May 27, they set out in two groups hoping to sell their piglets quickly. Suddenly some personnel of MAP apprehended two of the vendors and brought them to their camp. The two other women when told by the villagers that they were searched by MAP then rushed to the outpost. After reaching the outpost (camp), they were asked to pay for vending in the neighbourhood.
“The post commander asked us to pay Rs. 50 as fine for each piglets and Rs. 100 for each person. We were exempted from paying the cost of piglets but asked to pay for the cost of person when we pleaded the commander to have mercy on us since we are living and tending our school children by meager income. Since we were four, I paid Rs. 400 for what they said was ‘human cost”, one of the woman vendors told the Mizoram Post.
When communicated over telephone, the women said that when they came out to sell piglets in Vanbawng neighbourhood the other day, the post commander himself bought the piglets and made no complaint or intimidation. “For several occasions we came out to sell piglets in our neighbouring Mizoram villages. We reported and registered ourselves at police camp after which we returned to our village without any disturbance”, the women said, adding that they could not understand why the MAP personnel suddenly misbehaved and imposed fine on them.
“I asked the post commander why he was suddenly imposing a fine which never done before. Then he replied me saying that they recently enforced the rule and even imposed a fine on Myanmarese national”, the women quoted the commander as saying while speaking to the Mizoram Post.
The women further said that two policemen came and inquired about militant during the night they stayed at Vanbawng. However, the two policemen left after the women told them that they have no traces of militant at their village now a day although the militant used to come sometime before.
Blaming the inhuman and ill-treatment by MAP, the women vendor said they were being treated as though they were spy. “Some policemen had even behaved in such a manner as they were ever ready to shoot us keeping their gun loaded”, the women said, adding that they vehemently blamed the policemen for the manner they bullied and ill treated the poor vendors like them.
