Human right activists meet
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 23 2014: A public meeting held today at Manipur Press Club here demanded the Government to enact a law under the relevant provision of the UN Decla-ration on Human Rights Defenders for protection of human right defenders in the State.

The meeting was jointly organised by Centre for Research Advocacy (CRA), Centre for Social Development (CSD), Human Rights Alert (HRA), Human Rights Initiative (HRI) and Women Action for Development (WAD) .

AMUCO president Dr Mani Khuman, UCM president Y Nabachandra, HRI president Y Ratan, HRA executive director Babloo Loitongbam and UNMM's OJ Meetei were seated on the dais as presidium members.

Addressing the gathering CSD secretary U Nobo-kishore said that human right defenders who have been fighting against all types of human right violation are being attacked more often than not.

Human right defenders who have been fighting for the rights of street vendors, and also against violence on women and all types of human rights violation committed by security forces under AFSPA have been attacked every now and then, sometimes confiscating their vehicles.

Human right defender Th Premila who is working under WAD and CSD was thrashed in front of MLA Elangbam Chand and his security escorts by someone suspected to be a henchman of the MLA at around 2 pm of July 12 at Palace Compound.

It was not an assault on Th Premila but an attack on all human right defenders.

It was abominable that the MLA and his security escorts remained silent when Premila was attacked.

Th Premila was assaulted for taking photographs of the road expansion work and parking vehicles on the road side.

The incident is highly condemnable and the accused should be booked under relevant laws.

Moreover, the State should enact a law under appropriate provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Right Defenders for protection of human right defenders in the State.

AMUCO president Dr Mani Khuman noted that human right defenders are working for the people.

Treating human right defenders with malice and attacking them is not acceptable for they struggling for the subjugated people whose rights have been forfeited in one way or another.

Undermining the struggle of human right defenders by MLAs and the Government is abominable.

Such a situation is an outcome of the people's failure to elect competent representatives.

HRI acting president Y Ratan said that human right defenders have been struggling for the people of Manipur since 1980 till date.

In view of the recent attacks, all human rights defenders should join hands and fight the alleged evil forces collectively.

Babloo Loitongbam alleged that most of the MLAs of Manipur have very low level of leadership quality and this was indicated by the Chief Minister's advice to a particular Minister to read newspapers regularly.

The advice given by the Chief Minister on the floor of the house exposed that some Ministers who are part of the Government do not studies any issue of the State.

Suggesting that the recent attack on human right defenders should be apprised to the National Human Rights Commission and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Right Defenders, Babloo asserted that human right defenders should convince the public that they always stand firm for truth.

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