International Women's Day: PREPAK on crimes against women
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 07 2013: The proscribed PREPAK has conveyed deep annoyance and worry at the increasing level of violence against women and negligence of women issues by political rulers at different parts of the world.

Tracing the genesis of International Women's Day to the women's movement against the Russian Czar in February, 1917 which led to abdication of the Czar and election of people's representatives where women were also allowed to contest the election, the outfit noted that the United Nations started supporting all movements aimed at economic emancipation and political freedom of women.

UN started observing the International Women's Day on March 8 from 1975 onward.

Yet, there have been continuous cases of harassment, murder, rape and discrimination of women in many countries including India, said a press release issued by the outfit's publicity and propaganda assistant secretary Leibakngakpa Luwang.

There are many cases of self-immolation of women under pressure from their husbands and in-laws, and widowers of such victims are given social sanction to re-marry.

Such practice is widely prevalent in North India.

As the Indian society has tradition of discriminating and suppressing women, the society as well as the government seemed to be indirectly allowing harassment of women.

In the Hindu social structure which is known for its racism, it is an age old tradition to treat women as slaves, rape and murder women belonging to lower castes.

The Government of India has been encouraging its military personnel to molest and rape women of the North East and Jammu and Kashmir, it alleged.

The ordinance which does not permit military personnel accused in rape cases to be prosecuted under ordinary criminal laws is a manifestation of the Indian State's violence against women which is a direct challenge to the UN principle of emancipation of women from all kinds of bondage and harassment.

Following forced merger of Kangleipak into the Indian Union despite all the differences in terms of culture, tradition and customs, the rate of crimes against women has been rising rapidly.

It was just a few days when a 16 year old girl was raped and murdered before throwing the lifeless body into Merakhong canal in Haorang Keirel.

There were reports of 302 different criminal cases against women in Kangleipak in 2012.Saying that this is a matter of serious concern, the outfit observed that Chandel and Napetpalli incidents of last year were very similar to crimes which are common in the allegedly racist Indian society.

Manipuri women have been given prominent places in the commercial activities which means one can assume that the gender issue has been by and large resolved.

However, if the Government of India's attempt to put Kangleipak in their cultural map is allowed to go ahead, it would be impossible for women of Kangleipak to enjoy any progressive or respectable position, it asserted.

It also called upon all the people of Kangleipak on the occasion of the International Women's Day to work collectively towards creating a new society where are freed from all kinds of harassment and given a privileged position.

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