Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 20:
Strengthening the cause of the people demanding for withdrawal of AFSPA, human rights activists from Andhra Pradesh who are currently in the State to gather information concerning human rights violation by security forces have stated the act of the 17 Assam Rifles personnel in killing Manorama Devi is a clear case of culpable homicide amounting to murder.
The human rights activists also demanded total repeal of the Act and disciplining the armed forces and the police to function within the four corners of the law and with respect to the rights of the people.
Talking to mediapersons at TIPS office here this afternoon, spokesman of the seven-member team of Human Rights Forum, Andhra Pradesh K Balagopal informed that they have investigated into the cases of Thangjam Manorama Devi of Bamon Kampu, Pheiroijam Sanajit Singh of Nongada Awang Leikai and Khumanthem Ajit Ku-mar Singh alias Naoba of Karong Mamang Leikai.
In all these three cases, the security personnel took the victims into their custody before hand in the presence of witnesses and later shot them dead in fake encounter, he asserted.
These are clear cases of culpable homicide amounting to murder committed by armed forces taking advantage of protection granted under Armed Forces Special Powers (Assam & Manipur) Special Powers Act, Balagopal said.
Even AFSPA, he added, does not permit the armed forces to kill a person after taking her/him in custody, but the AFSPA protests these killers from prosecution unless the Union Govt gives its sanction.
Revealing similar cases of human rights violation committed by security personnel in Andhra Pradesh, he demanded that AFSPA should be lifted completely.
For solving the problem of insurgency in Manipur, Balagopal suggested that the State Government should initiate political dialogue with the insurgents without any pre-conditions.
A Chandrasekhar, another team member, who also talked to the mediapersons informed that leaflets on matter related to Manorama case were brought out in Telegu language and distributed among the people in Andhra Pradesh.
He also assured for bringing all the human rights organizations in the country together and exerting pressure on the Government of India for giving fitting punishment to all those security personnel responsible for custodial death of Manorama.
Chandrasekhar also demanded impartial and fair probe into every instance of �encounter� killing in accordance with the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission in March 1997.Apart from Balagopal and Chandrashekhar, other team members are SM Basha, V Vasantha Laskmi, VS Krishna, B Ramulu and S Abdul Rasool.