Kuki-Zo Hostages' Families Appeal to the Conscience of Abductors and the Centre for the Safe Release of Their Loved Ones

In a solemn display of solidarity and human compassion, Kuki-Zo women from Kangpokpi town joined the ongoing peaceful sit-in protest at Taphou Kuki village, where the families of 14 Kuki-Zo hostages made an emotional appeal to the conscience of their abductors and the Central Government for the safe and unconditional release of their loved ones.

Led by the Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organisation (KWWO) under the aegis of the Kangpokpi Town Committee (KTC), the womenfolk travelled to the village to stand beside grieving mothers, wives, children and relatives whose lives have remained suspended in uncertainty for 27 agonising days.

The delegation also handed over financial assistance contributed by residents of Kangpokpi town to the hostage families during a solemn programme held at the residence of Taphou Kuki village chief Lenkhomang Chongloi. The assistance was handed over in the presence of KTC chairman Seilam Singsit and village leaders.

The gathering at the peaceful sit-in protest site transformed into a poignant expression of collective anguish and hope as women, villagers and family members stood hand-in-hand along the highway in a symbolic prayer, seeking divine intervention for peace, harmony and the reunion of the 14 captives with their families.

The Kuki-Zo womenfolk from Kangpokpi Town remained at the protest site until late afternoon, lending both moral and emotional support to families whose appeals for help have so far yielded no breakthrough.

Making yet another emotional appeal, Ngahneikim Chongloi, one of the family members of the 14 hostages, said the families had endured 27 days of sleepless nights, fear and uncertainty, with every passing day deepening their pain.

"For 27 days, our hearts have lived between hope and despair. Every sunrise brings the same unanswered questions, and every night ends without knowing when our loved ones will return home," she said.

She lamented that despite repeated appeals made over nearly a month, the families were still waiting for a concrete response that could bring them relief.

Clarifying the purpose of the ongoing protest, she stressed that the demonstration was neither political nor intended to create divisions.

"This protest is the voice of mothers, wives, children and families who are carrying a burden too heavy to bear. We are here only to show the hardships we are enduring and the pain we live with every day," she said.

In an appeal aimed directly at those holding the captives as well as authorities concerned, she urged them to view the issue through a humanitarian lens.

"Please see us as fellow human beings. Try to understand our sorrow. Feel our pain. We are only asking for our loved ones to come home safely," she pleaded.

Her appeal resonated deeply among those gathered, many of whom struggled to hold back tears as she described the emotional devastation being endured by the affected families.

As the peaceful protest entered its fourth week, the families renewed their call for compassion, urging all concerned to rise above differences and act in the interest of humanity.

The gathering concluded with a collective prayer that conscience, mercy and humanity would prevail, allowing the 14 hostages to return safely to the embrace of their families who continue to wait, hope and pray each passing day.