HRI flays AR
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 16 2015:
Human Rights Initiative (HRI) has strongly condemned the reported assault of Impact TV journalist Noren Ningombam and cameraman K Bipin Sharma by personnel of 9 AR led by its CO at Moreh on Feb 12 while the two journalists were covering an incident.
"It is a clear example that there is de-facto military rule in NE India particularly in Manipur under the AFSPA, 1958," a statement issued by S Sanatampha, Programme Coordinator, HRI said.
If Manipur is a valid democracy, the army/AR could not commit such excesses which amount to discrimination of the people.
The AR authority should keep in mind that they are paid to protect and act as security of the citizens, it said.
The people of NE particularly Manipur who are staying in mainland India have been discriminated systematically in social sphere on the basis of race.
The NE people have been called 'immigrants' in the BJP vision document for Delhi poll.
As such, the naming encourages the Army and mainland Indian people to look down on the people of NE, it said.
The AR personnel who were involved in the harassment of the journalists should be punished if there is rule of law in the State, it demanded.
Asserting that a personnel of the AR seems to be more powerful than a Minister of the State, the HRI demanded immediate repeal of AFSPA from the State.