Imphal, April 18 2009: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) threw the attention of the state Chief Minister, O Ibobi on the matter of violation of human rights and animal rights by the security forces by the ongoing "Operation Summer Storm" in Loktak by submitting a memorandum yesterday.

The memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister after a team of 12 members led by its president Yumnamcha Dilipkumar visited the places affected by the military operation on April 16 and hearing the complaints pour down by the displaced villagers, a statement of the UCM said.

In the memorandum, UCM stated that the ongoing Operation Summer Storm which have been launching in and around the Loktak lake area have severely affected "the right to life of Sangai classified as highly endangered deer under the schedule-1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and Manipur Wildlife (Protection) Rules 1974) .

Under the Act and Rules, the memorandum reiterated that illegal slaying of Sangai amount to a penalty of Rs 25,000 fine or minimum of one year imprisonment or both.

So considering the threatening to life of this rare deer and most importantly for the innocent people, the operation should be stopped immediately.

It also alleged that many innocent local people from Ethai Khunjao, Nongmaikhong anf Khordak villages are engaging in the ongoing operation like "bonded labour and human shield" just to protect themselves from the attack of the armed opposition groups by the security forces.

The memorandum also informed the Chief Minister that helpless villagers who fled their homes for their survival are taking shelter at relief camps at three different places.

Reiterating their demand for suspending the operation immediately, the memorandum of the UCM urged the chief minister to maintain homely peaceful atmosphere by making secure environment for the displaced villagers at the earliest.

It also urged the state government to take up urgent and appropriate steps to compensate for the damage survival articles and fishing materials lost during the operation.

Deployment of special bomb disposal squad for detection of active and inactive bombs which may have remained to the areas strike during the operation and taking up of special wildlife protection measures and rehabilitation programmes are also demanded by the UCM in the memorandum.