Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, August 27 2009:
"Manipur has become a lawless state.
In Kashmir, people defied boycott calls and voted.
In Manipur, the state has lost its legitimacy because it can neither provide justice nor safety to its citizens", stated Meenakshi Ganguly, Asia representative of Human Rights Watch, in the recent report of the organization on India, published in The Times of India, which focuses on the impunity enjoyed by the police in some of the states of India.
In an interview with Jyoti Punwani of The Times of India, published on August 26, Meenakshi said that unlike other abusive states, the state of Manipur is simply uncaring and takes the 'band aid' approach - ignoring the problem till it erupts.
She further said that there is a culture of impunity and of covering up in Manipur, as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act has created a force, which believes it is not accountable.
Referring to the case of Monorama Devi, who was picked up by the Assam Rifles and found dead five hours later in 2004, she said that the Prime Minister of India had promised justice and a repeal of the law, but nothing has happened till today.
"For a Manipuri, what does this mean? That the Prime Minister of India does not even remember his promise?" she inquired.
"By and large, people find it difficult to criticize the armed groups in Kashmir and Manipur, both out of fear and loyalty.
But it helps that we are an international organization.
Using us, people can get their view of the militants' brutalities across.
But then there's a Shopian and a Sanjit encounter and we're back to square one.
Both the CMs of Kashmir and Manipur initially accepted the police version of these cases, despite knowing the record of their forces.
There needs to be a strong political message to the forces that they will be held accountable.
That will only happen if those responsible are prosecuted", Meenaskshi Ganguly of the Human Rights Watch stated.