SF excesses under glare at global observance
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 26 2013: Testimonies of alleged excesses committed by the security forces marked the 'observance of UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture-2013' organised by Human Rights Initiative, Manipur at its Thangapat Mapal office today.

Presenting the key-note address, Centre for Social Development (CSD) secretary U Nobokeshore contended that similar to developed as well as developing countries employing torture and rape as weapons of war the Government of India has been relying on fake encounters, torture and violence against women and children to subdue insurgency movement that had been raging in Manipur for decades.

Opining that agenda for governance would remain futile if there is too much dependence on use of arms and advocating synergy between the common people and those at the helm of affairs, he observed that india yet to become a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture is a testimony that the Central Government disregards human values and rights of its citizens.

further claiming that cases of fake encounters is a systematic campaign of the Centre to cover up excesses committed against the people of Manipur by the security forces, Nobokeshore emphasised that along with maintaining collective vigil the surviving victims and their relatives need to protect documentary evidences for legal references and ensure the guilty ones are punished according to law.

In his brief address as the chief guest, Imphal East Zilla Parishad Adhyakshya K Tombi Singh said inspite of fake encounters being dominant undesired incidents in Manipur for years the Government is of the concept that protests/outcry would eventually wane with the passage of time or the raging issue settled through financial compensation or job assurance to the victim's kin.

While Dr Th Uthan and Dr S Bikram of JNIMS respectively deliberated on 'Role of Physician in Medico-Legal Cases relating to torture (assault, rape & killings)' and 'Need of care and rehabilitation of victims of torture' as the resource persons, family members of victims of security force excesses recounted ordeals they had encountered losing their loved ones and their lingering memories.

Among those who testified during the observance, Elangbam Ibohal of Thoubal Houkha Mamang said he lost his then 24-year old son Kiranjit on April 23, 2009 in a stage-managed killing involving a combined security team as Meitram Memchoubi of Leimaram Makha Leikai recounted events that snatched her younger brother namely M Imotomba.

While circumstantial evidences gathered by the CBI regarding Kiranjit's case resulted in the Supreme Court constituted Commission recently exposing and confirming the youngster's demise as a case of fake encounter killing, whereabouts of M Imotomba remains unknown till date since he was pulled up from a local hotel by a police team on March 11, 2012 .

The victim's sister regretted that inspite of formal complaint to police station concerned and intimation of the local MLA there has been no significant breakthrough in the case.

Chairperson of the event host RK Ranjan also addressed the gathering.

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