Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 15:
While observing that occupation of public buildings including schools and hospitals by the army personnel is not a new thing, Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN) has stated that pumping over Rs 4 lakhs in the name of developing a place where President APJ Abdul Kalam would be visiting for just half an hour is not surprising.
After the President's visit on October 16, no one can say when the army would occupy the area to carry on with their activities, publicity secretary of HERICOUN Laishram Sanajaoba Meetei said.
He said real development can be possible only when the top Government officials and the and all the 60 MLAs to come to terms with the ground realities.
Otherwise, the very place where the fund had been poured in the name of development would only serve as a convenient base for the security personnel to unleash reign of terror among the people all in the name of counter-insurgency operations, HERICOUN maintained.
Elucidating, the statement further said if at all Manipur is to be developed, human resource is the key area which need to be given special emphasis along with ensuring that the fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution are not violated .
So apart from just welcoming the President, the people of the area and more specially the public leaders and local MLA concerned should prevail upon him to hand over the task of looking after the infrastructures that have been developed to the people themselves.
Instead of that if an Army Battalion drove in to the area on the pretext of providing security, then the happiness of the people would be soon taken over by cases of fake encounter, extra-judicial killings, rape, molestation, disappearances, etc, the statement said, adding that the atrocities committed by the security forces with immunity granted under Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 are infamously well known among the people.