Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 24:
Negating the earlier statement of the DG of Assam Rifles that Th Manorama was not raped in the custody of the security personnel, the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup today said that the post mortem report of the late woman has more than made it clear that she was indeed raped before she was killed and questioned what story the AR DG will now cook up to save his men.
In a statement, the Apunba Lup today questioned how long the AR authority and the Indian Government are going to shield the guilty personnel and added that instead to pulling up such elements, the State Govt at the behest of the Centre is hell bent on silencing the voice of the people who are demanding the revocation of the AFSPA from the State so that the security personnel stop harassing and exterminating the people at their will.
Reacting to the statement of the Chief Minister that the slogan, "Go Back Indian Army," is against the National security, the Lup questioned, whether the State Govt has been able to protect its people against the excesses of the security personnel.
On the question of National interest, which was bandied about by the Chief Minister, the Lup questioned what exactly constitutes National interest and whether it encompasses the interest of the people of Manipur or not.
Should the fives of the Manipuri people be sacrificed to ensure that Indian interest is not jeopardised, countered the statement.
On the statement of the Chief Minister that the AFSPA is not enforced at New Delhi or Tamil Nadu because no voice of secession have been raised there, the Apunb Lup said that the latest statement of the Chief Minister differs from his earlier stand, wherein he had stated that the AFSPA was not enforced at these places becuase there are no cases of extortions.
The ambiguous stand of the CM need to be rectified, advised the statement.
Making the stand of the people clear, the Apunba Lup said that the demand is nothing short of allowing the people to live as equal citizens of India.
The Lup also advised CPI MLA P Parijat against stating that not all the demands of the people can be met and reminded him that no mass movement of the people has ever failed in the history of the world.