Condemnation of murder of two students and excessive use of force by security forces
- 30 September 2023 :: Centre For Research And Advocacy, Manipur -

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The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRA) is concerned with the inability of the Government of India to protect indigenous peoples’ lives and for excessive use of force by Indian security forces to control community members seeking justice for victims of violence in Manipur in North East India.

CRA condemns the inability of the Government of India to protect the lives of two young students, Ms. Hijam Linthoingambi and Mr. Phijam Hemanjit, abducted and murdered by suspected Kuki militants since 6 July 2023 in Manipur. The pictures of the two murdered students, guarded by armed militants appeared in social media in end September 2023.

Despite the complaints by family members, the Indian security forces extensively deployed in Manipur under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and the Manipur police were unable to prevent the merciless murder of the two students by suspected Kuki militants, having Suspension of Operation (SOO) with the Government of India.

CRA also expressed our condemnation with the excessive use of force by the Indian security forces on young students protesting the merciless and cold blooded murder of the two students on 27 and 28 September and to arrest the suspected Kuki militants involved in the murder of the two students.

The excessive use of pellet gun and bullets by the Indian security forces, inflicting severe injuries to young students and threatening their lives constitutes a violation of “right to life”, as provisioned in international human rights laws. More than Ten (10) students that sustained severe injuries due to firing of pellet gun by Indian security forces, while more than Fifty (50), sustained injuries, were admitted in hospitals. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Gueterres in the United Nations report on Children, 2021, even urged the Government of India to stop the use of pellet guns on children.

The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur joins the call of aggrieved families and civil societies in Manipur to immediate arrest and punish those involved in the abduction and murder of the two young students, Ms. Hijam Linthoingambi and Mr. Phijam Hemanjit in Manipur. The officials of the Indian security forces deployed in Manipur should be held accountable for their inability to save their lives.

The Government of India should stop inflicting all forms of violence on young students seeking justice for the murder of the two young students in Manipur. The Government should institute an inquiry into the excessive use of force and violence by the Indian security forces on young students of Manipur and punish those involved.

The Government of India should stop using pellet guns to control crowd, as recommended by the UN Secretary General to the Government in 2021. Repeal emergency laws, in particular the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958. The Government of India should take urgent steps to control the violence and foster peace and protection of indigenous peoples’ lives and civil liberties in Manipur.

(Sanaton Laishram)
President
Centre For Research And Advocacy, Manipur