Imphal, October 02 2009: Coming out strongly against the conduct of some of the armed groups operating in the State, Advocate Khaidem Mani today asserted that the movement launched by some of them are nothing less than Goonda Liberation Movement, forget about being liberation movement.

Speaking at the third International Day of NonViolence at the State Guest House today, Khaidem Mani said some non-State actors have turned their guns against the public.

What we see today is people being abducted for ransom, bombs being hurled at the homes of individuals, extortion etc, said Mani and added that this cannot be called liberation movement by any yard stick.

On the contrary this is Goonda movement, he added.

This however does not mean that all the armed organisations follow this path, he clarified and added that some of the armed groups function under well laid down ideologies and principles.

Turning his guns on the Government, Mani said that the law enforcing agencies have also begun to follow illegal activities in the conduct of their duty.

The Advocate, who is also a human rights activist, said that a number of people have been killed by security forces in fake encounters.

Caught in between the State and non-State actors are the public, he observed and added that the people of Manipur have had to lead a life of fear and uncertainty.

Such a situation has led to a number of violent incidents and many issues in Manipur have taken violent turns, he observed.

It is time for Manipur to remember and follow the principles of non-violence espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, he exhorted.

Member of Manipur Human Rights Commission, RK Rajendra who also addressed the function today, said the security forces kill people, so do too the armed groups.

The public are fed up of both of them.

The two opposing sides are in the race to earn the wrath of the people, he observed.

The function was held with Padmashri RK Jhalajit and president of Senior Citizens for Society N Binoy as the chief guest and president respectively.

A symposium under the theme 'Non-Violence' was also held in connection with the day.

During the symposium former Minister, Professor Gangmumei Kamei delivered a paper on the topic, "Gandhian concept of peace and Non-violence", Prof Ksh Bimola Devi of MU, Political Science Department talked on "Sarvodaya and Non-violence" while working president of Manipur Peace Committee, Prof L Sadananda Singh spoke on "Imperative necessity on Non-violence today".

The day was held in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi of Mahatma Gandhi and in line with the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to observe October 2, every year as International Day of Non-Violence on June 15, 2007 .