Imphal, January 10 2009: THE MANIPUR Students' Association, Delhi (MASAD) has stated that the Association called for peace and democracy but the response by the Indian government is volley of bullets and all forms of brutal crimes against humanity.

This was stated in a pamphlet made available to the press by MASAD today.

The pamphlet further stated that "what we have been experiencing for more than five decades has been war against democracy".

"India's unending war in the Northeast, particularly Manipur, primarily designed and carried out to fulfil extra-territorial material ambition of warmongering Indian ruling class, however camouflaged by articulating polemical jargons such as 'national security', 'developmental projects' and 'war against terrorism', has rendered the people of this region vulnerable to war time emergency," stated the pamphlet.

The MASAD further said that "state controlled media have been blacklisting democratic movements/ aspiration of the people and covering up class character of India's war in the Northeast with false propaganda.

And yet history is testimony to a series of war crimes committed against Manipuri civilians by the Indian government.

Thousands of civilians have lost life, forced disappeared, harassed, dehumanised, pauperised and traumatised while in suppressing people's democratic movement for peace and self-determination".

The MASAD opined that "besides imposition of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958) and terror laws that boosts the morale of the Indian army and paramilitary forces in carrying out reign of terror with impunity; divide and rule over the oppressed people as it is manifested in deployment of underpaid irregular forces, if not forced labour of the mercenaries who are primarily lured towards conscription with false promise for job and privilege, such as Village Volunteer Force (VVF) among the Nagas and Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the four valley districts; modus operandi of killing spree unleashed by commandos and undergrounds suspected of having close operational links with the government; all these constitute varying facets of an overarching war strategy orchestrated by the Indian government to weaken democratic force constituted by people, thereby, strengthening its grip over the resource of the region".

The pamphlet further stated that "if India had to prove that it is democratic and committed for peace; it must bring a halt to its war game, repeal AFSPA, stop state terrorism and show respect for the democratic aspiration of the people of the Northeast".

"We believe that prosperous future of the oppressed and exploited peoples lies in the collective struggle of the democratic forces across the globe.

It is high time that progressive forces across the globe united and fought together to bring a halt to all forms of unjust war against humanity and establish an order of peace and democracy," the MASAD asserted.