UN sounded on butchering of children, women
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 24 2024:
Seven Manipur organisations have submitted a memorandum to the United Nations Secretary General and interrelated agencies of the Government of India seeking immediate intervention and an independent judicial inquiry commission to probe "Jakuradhor massacre" in which at least 8 persons including 6 hostages were killed by Kuki militants.
The UN must depute a Special Rapporteur to investigate the Jakuradhor Massacre, they said.
The organisations which submitted the memorandum include Yelhoumee Phurup, Taragi Cheishu, Solidarity Offered Unitedly for a Lustrated Society, Youth Collective Manipur, Nupi Union for Peace and Integrity, Manipur Students' Association, Delhi and Manipur International Youth Centre.
The memorandum, which has also been submitted to international rights bodies, called for justice for the victims and termed the killing of the 8 persons including an 8-month-old infant in Jiribam's Jakuradhor "a premeditated murder and a heinous and disgraceful act" perpetrated by the Kuki militants.
The organisations underlined that on November 11, the Kuki militants carried out a well organised and premeditated attack on a police station in Jakuradhor village which was providing protection and shelter to internally displaced persons.
Notably, while the Kuki militants took three women and three children hostages in the attack, they burnt two elderly men alive.
Days later, the lifeless bodies of the six women and children taken hostage were recovered from a river.
The six who were taken hostages and murdered are Yurembam Rani Devi (female 68 years), Telem Khoibi Devi (female 31 years), Telem Thajamanbi Devi (female 8 years), Laishram Heitombi Devi (female 25 years), Laishram Chingkhei Nganba Singh (male 2.5 years), Laishram Lamnganba Singh (male 8 months) .
The two men whose charred bodies were recovered after the attack have been identified as Laishram Barel (63) and Maibam Kesho Singh (71) .
In the memorandum, the organisations asserted that the Jakuradhor incident also constitutes a premeditated sexual crime against women and children in Manipur, perpetrated by the Kuki-Zo militants under the guise of 'ethnic conflict' .
The organisations also condemned the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) terming it undemocratic and unacceptable and called for its withdrawal.
The memorandum called for immediate arrest and punishment of Kuki militants involved in the Jakuradhor Massacre of women and children under India's Geneva Convention Act, 1960 and relevant domestic criminal laws.
The seven organisations called for the constitution of an independent Judicial Inquiry Commission on Jakuradhor Massacre headed by not less than a retired Supreme Court Judge.
The organisations urged the UN to depute a Special Rapporteur to investigate the Jakuradhor Massacre.
The Women and Child Commission of India must visit the Jakuradhor Massacre and produce a white paper on the incident as implicated under the provisions of POCSO Act, 2012.The National Human Rights Commission of India must also visit the Jakuradhor massacre site and ensure justice to the victims, they said.
Further, the organisations urged that the UN must take immediate measures to establish a tribunal under the supervision of the UN Security Council to try and prosecute persons responsible for commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide or ethnic cleansing "given that India is unwilling and unable to do it by its own" .
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