10 years on, 'rapist 'AR men still go scot-free
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 10 2014: Even though it has been 10 years since Thangjam Manorama was allegedly raped and shot dead by troops of 17 Assam Rifles, the country's legal system is still unable to punish the rapists cum murderers.

Whereas the report of the Judicial Enquiry conducted by retired Justice C Upendra is still kept in abeyance, the National Human Rights Commission's recommendation to award compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Manorama has been stalled by the Ministry of Defence.

A Division Bench of Gauhati High Court ruled that the Judicial Enquiry report of retired Justice C Upendra should be opened, but the same ruling was challenged by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, 9 AR and 17 AR Commandants at the Supreme Court in the form of a special writ petition.

Such attitude of the Government of India which belies the general understanding of rule of law emboldens security forces deployed in AFSPA imposed States to commit all kinds of excesses at their sweet will, said some keen observers.

'Above the law' status enjoyed by security forces only multiplies the sense of insecurity felt by States victimized by AFSPA.

The family of Thangjam Manorama has been living for the past 10 years with a deep rooted scar which gets infested day by day largely on account of the Government of India's reluctance to do justice.

Now aged and frail Khuman Leima, Manorama's mother who was shocked to the core when her daughter was found raped, murdered and abandoned on a road side told The Sangai Express that her one last wish is punishment of rapists cum mur- derers when she is alive.

"But I think I'm hoping against hope.

The Government has deliberately put the case in a deep freezer," she said.

She went on, "Whatever allegations levelled against my daughter were all baseless.

She was a hard-working woman who dedicated all her labour for education of her younger brothers.

Her will power was even more stron-ger than any man.

I would never accept she was an insurgent" .

Then 32 years old, Thang-jam Manorama was pulled up from her Bamon Kampu Ma-yai Leikai home in the night of July 11, 2004 by troops of 17 Assam Rifles.

They even furnished an arrest memo.

She was found dead on the road side of Ngariyan Maring village, about 4 Kms away from her home next morning.

The arrest memo given to Manorama's family was signed by Havildar Suresh Kumar (Army No123355).Rifleman T Lotha (Army No 123916) and Ajit Singh (Army No 173491) too signed on the arrest memo as witnesses.

Talking about the outrageous murder of Manorama, Human Rights Alert executive director Babloo Loitongbam said that there is enough evidence regarding the arrest and murder of Manorama by troops of 17 AR but the army authority has been stubbornly blocking all processes of establishing the truth, reparation and delivery of justice and the Supreme Court is silent on the issue.

Infuriated by the bestial rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama, people of Manipur spontaneously launched a strong, sustained protest movement which went on for more than two months.

The protest demonstration reached its climax when 12 Meira Paibi leaders protested nude in front of the western Kangla Gate, then occupied by Assam Rifles.

As an outcome of the sustained protest movement, Assam Rifles were made to vacate Kangla.

Even the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan went on record that AFSPA was draconian.

Subsequently, Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee was constituted to probe into the high profile murder case anew.

After a thorough enquiry, Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee recommended for repeal of AFSPA.

The issue was somehow terminated there and neither AFSPA has been repealed nor the culprits involved in the brutal murder booked.

For reasons best known to them, the Government of India has been shielding them.

Had the spirited sustained mass seen all over Imphal valley in the aftermath of the murder of Manorama was carried on for some more time, there was a strong possibility of complete repeal of AFSPA from all over the State.

The inability of the country's legal system to book the culprits involved in the murder of Manorama has further consolidated the notion of complete impunity enjoyed by security forces, Babloo said.

76 year old Khuman Leima said that she would like to build a memorial tomb on her daughter's graveyard so that she is remembered forever.

Comment