...And Justice For All
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 24, 2009 -

The all pervading suspicion in the minds of the people as well as the open pronouncement of the JAC formed in connection with the brutal killing of the SDO of Kasom Khullen and his two subordinate staff has been vindicated with the NSCN (IM) now admitting that one of its senior members is the 'black sheep.'

The NSCN (IM) has announced that Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen was the master mind in the abduction and later killing of the SDO and his two men, while two others, Major Ashang and Apho Chibo have also been rounded up. More accused are likely to be pulled up soon, as per the information given by the outfit. So far so good, but this is definitely not the end of the case.

Even as the mortal remains of the SDO and his two staff made their last journey from RIMS morgue, to their respective residences and then to Gandhi Ghat near the Cheirap Court at Uripok, the journey to deliver justice in the ghastly case has just begun. We have no idea what the State Government has in mind presently, but there are some very important points for the NSCN (IM) leadership not to forget.

Justice should be delivered but it should appear that justice has indeed been delivered. To ensure this, what is needed is sincerity of purpose from the side of the NSCN (IM) as well transparency. The public should be kept informed on the progress of the investigation into the case, the number of people involved in the killing, the reasons behind the killing, the involvement, if any, of other individuals who are not members of the outfit, as well as the role of the District Administration. At no point of time should the NSCN (IM) try to cover up the case and we say this not without reason. As the first step towards cracking the case has been taken, the public should remember the case of Lungnila Elizabeth and Hrinii Hubert and Muheni Martin.

It is with the knowledge of the past that the public should continue to pile the pressure on the NSCN (IM) leadership. Remember how the Fact Finding Committee of Senapati district instituted to probe the mysterious murder of Hrinii Hubert and Muheni Martin had to adopt a confrontationist stand even though the NSCN (IM) was supposed to have rounded up the prime suspects in the case ?

Remember the report of how one of the suspects in this case managed to escape from Camp Hebron ? Remember how the prime accused in the kidnapping and murder of Baby Lungnila Elizabeth, James Kuki, was granted parole by the same outfit ? We hark back to these cases, because even though the NSCN (IM) may have announced that they have identified the culprits and taken them into custody, nothing can be taken for granted.

The people of Ukhrul, Senapati, Churachandpur, Chandel, Tameng-long, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Imphal East, Imphal West cannot afford to experience the stories of the three little children, whose cases still remain where they are, in a state of comatose. As an organisation which has claimed the mantle of representing a cause, the NSCN (IM) has every responsibility to ensure that justice is delivered.

It needs to question the culprits why the three men who were abducted from Ukhrul district headquarters were butchered to death at Senapati district and accordingly inform the people, especially the civil society organisations of Senapati. It needs to find out and make it known public, why there was such brutality in the killing. The three men are dead and they cannot be brought back to life, but at least justice should be delivered. This is what humanity demands. This is what Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, Zionism, demand.