Inhuman torture of a senior journalist of Manipur by the India Reserve Battalion (IRB)

Imphal, February 12th , 2014:

IND/MAN/PS/2013-14/2
12 February 2014

The Centre for Organisation Research & Education, an organisation with Special Consultative Relationship with the Economic and Social Council and Human Rights Council of the United Nations, condemns in the most definite terms the criminal and brutal assault on a senior journalist of Manipur, Mr. Aribam (Paojel Chaoba) Dhananjoy Sharma of the Imphal Free Press by ill-behaved and undisciplined uniformed and armed personnel of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) stationed at the northern gate of the Kangla in the heart of Imphal City on the night of 10th February 2014 as the senior journalist was returning home from his office at around 11:30 PM after a hard day at work.

Mr Aribam Sharma was not only inhumanly tortured and ill-treated but also threatened to be shot to death, without any conceivable provocation or justification. It is very clear from the many reports being published by all the daily newspapers and also mentioned by the All Indian Radio the day after the incident occurred, that the disgraceful extension, year after year, of the “disturbed areas” status in Manipur State along with the promulgation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 are precisely because of the total absence of any behaviour and conduct by the law enforcement agencies and security forces personnel that can be even remotely termed as humane or decent, let alone abiding with the established norms of conduct in keeping with the role and duties of the very service they are members of and paid by taxpayer’s money.

The very damning statement by one of the IRB personnel that he was a relative of a Minister of Manipur and that he was therefore “untouchable” only serves to underline the despicable prevailing anti-people attitudes and prejudices of the government, political leaders and officials of Manipur.

A direct assault on the media and journalists is a direct challenge to the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India, and a failure to uphold and implement the legal obligations of the International Bill of Human Rights that India is a States Party of.

CORE demands that the IRB personnel involved in this disgraceful incident be given exemplary punishment and dismissed from service as their continuance will only serve to further severely compromise the image and status of the IRB and entire police service of Manipur; and the entire police service of Manipur be thoroughly re-trained, re-educated and sensitized on the service rules and norms of conduct, socially accepted moral behaviour, human rights standards, laws, etc. in the most transparent manner so that they actually have an opportunity become the kind of lofty service that the Home Minister, Mr Gaikhangam, claims repeatedly in his various chances to speak at public functions.

(Dr. Immanuel Zarzosang Varte)
Executive Director

(Dr. Debabrata Roy Laifungbam)
President

CORE Centre for Organisation Research & Education
Indigenous Peoples’ Centre for Policy and Human Rights in India’s Eastern Himalayan Territories
NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Loisanglen:
Post Box No. 99
1st Floor, Ibotombi Building, Babupara
Imphal 795001, MANIPUR
India
Tel/Fax: +91 385 244 13 19
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.coremanipur.org