Monetary justice
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: September 13, 2014 -

Close behind the revelation of the contents of the various inquiries conducted into cases of fake encounter killings by the Government of Manipur following intervention by the Supreme Court, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as well as High Court of Manipur have been coming up with directives and judgments one after the other for awarding compensations to the families of the victims like never before.

Setting off this trend, on August 26, a division bench of High Court of Manipur comprising Chief Justice Laxmi Kanta Mohapatra and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh awarded Rs 3.50 lakh each to the mothers of Yumnam Robita and Asem Ramajit, two victims of fake encounter killings involving CRPF personnel on April 9, 2002 at Pangei Bazar in Imphal East district.

On September 4, acting on a complaint filed by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), NHRC directed the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to pay monetary relief of Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of Laishram Kishorjit and Soram Priyolumar who were killed by a team of 20 Assam Rifles led by one Major Abhisekh Bharti in a stage-manage encounter in Chandel district on the night of June 1, 2009.

Five days after this NHRC directive, the same division bench of Manipur High Court ordered award of compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of Pheiroijam Keshorjit alias Loketomba Singh of Nongada Awang Leikai in Imphal East district who was killed in another stage-enacted encounter by personnel of 19 Assam Rifles at a spot in between Seijang and Seilen under Lamlai Police Station on June 20, 2005 and also in the fake encounter killing of two cousins, namely Mutum Herojit Singh and Mutum Rajen Singh of Keishampat Mutum Leikai after taking them into custody by Imphal East Police Commandos along Lambui Road, Porompat on October 14, 2008.

In the latest judgment which has also come from the division bench of High Court of Manipur comprising Chief Justice Laxmi Kanta Mohapatra and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, payment of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to two petitioners in two separate fake encounter cases was ordered on September 11.

One of the cases is related to the killing of Thiyam Amit Meitei by personnel of 23 Assam Rifles after he was taken into custody at Nongren Chinglak under Lamlai Police Station on December 29, 2008 and the other to the killing of Soubam Baocha alias Shachuinta and his friend Salam Gurung by a combined team of 23 Assam Rifles and Manipur Police Commandos on December 28, 2008 at the foothill of Huimi Ching in Imphal East district.

From all these judgments/directives, one may get the impression that justice has been done at last to at least to some of the victims of fake encounter killings carried out by security forces in Manipur with immunity granted under Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

However, on closer look, one would realize how deceptive these judgments and directives are and justice in all these fake encounter killings is still a far cry.

Apart from ordering payment of compensation to the family members of the victims, why there has been no judgment or directive pronouncing the due punishment to be given to all those security personnel involved in taking away the lives of innocent people in such brutal and inhumane manner?

With human life more valuable than any monetary compensation that could be given, how could passing of such court orders be called doing justice to the victims of fake encounters when the killers are still moving around freely with no fear of any punishment?

Are there any holders of justice who care to enlighten the people on this point?