Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, July 06:
The lawyers of the state, including retired judges submitted a memorandum to the visiting Union minister of state for home, ID Swami and the Governor of the state, Ved Marwah on the extension of the NSCN(IM) ceasefire and the apprehensions of the public concerning the disturbance to the territorial boundary of Manipur after a short rally through Imphal city.
Over 1000 lawyers, belonging to the High, Court Bar Association, Manipur, the All Manipur Bar Association, Young Lawyers Forum, Manipur and All Manipur Lady Advocates Association, and including retired judges, marched in their traditional black robes this morning right through the Imphal hypersensitive zone from the Uripok Cheirap court to the Raj Bhavan where they submitted their memorandum to the Governor.
The marching lawyers were stopped at Samu Makhong by the police, but they forcibly broke through the police cordon and went through BT Road before turning onto the Kangla park road towards the Raj Bhavan.
It may be mentioned that no protests of any kind, including rallies and dharnas, are supposed to be allowed inside the hypersensitive zone.
A delegation comprising of 12 lawyers later met the Governor and submitted their memorandum to him.
During their meeting, the lawyers also demanded the immediate withdrawal or suspension of the ceasefire agreement, or to include a clause excluding Manipur from the operation of the ceasefire agreement.
They further pressurized for amendment of Article 3 of the Constitution to protect the territory of Manipur.
The Governor on his part, promised to make every effort to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur and to convey the people's feelings on the issue to the Central government.