1528 people killed in fake encounters: Report
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 18, 2012: Altogether 1528 people including 31 women and 98 children were killed in fake encounters by security forces in Manipur between 1979 and May, 2012. Of these, 419 were killed by Assam Rifles while 481 were killed by combined teams of Manipur Police and central security forces.

These figures were clearly recorded in a report released today at Hotel Imphal at a function held in commemoration of August 18, 1958 when the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was passed in the Indian Parliament.

The commemorative function was jointly organised by the Just Peace Foundation and the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN.

The report titled 'Manipur: Memorandum on Extrajudicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions'mentioned that State forces excluding central forces killed 344 people between 1979 and 2012. Out of the 344 people, 40 were killed by Manipur Police Commandos, 90 by Imphal East Commandos, 132 by Imphal West commandos, 15 by Bishnupur Commandos and 67 by Thoubal Commandos.

Speaking at the occasion, Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN convenor Debabratta Roy said that the report was published after minute analysis and cross-checking by different human right organisations.

The report was published after making some additions to the memorandum submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Christof Heyns during his visit to India between March 19 and 30 this year.

After releasing the report, MP Dr T Meinya reminded that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee constituted by the Government of India itself has already agreed that AFSPA negated the very spirit and principles of democracy.

Recalling that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh once assured to make the military Act more humane, Dr Meinya maintained that AFSPA would be certainly given a humane face even if it takes time.

The function also figured a panel discussion programme with Lokendra Arambam as moderator.

One panellist said that it is not only the army and the politicians but many civil organisations based in mainland India are opposed to repealing AFSPA because they do not have faith in the people of North East region.

They can never treat the people of India as equal citizens of India.

The army too are victims of AFSPA for they are empowered by the draconian Act to commit all kinds of crimes and extrajudicial killings with full impunity, thereby rousing communal tendency, remarked the scholar.

Almost all the panellists agreed that AFSPA should be repealed.

Later, a resolution adopted appeal to all the MPs of North Eastern States, States affected by AFSPA and all civil society organisations of the country to work collectively so that the Parliament passes a resolution during the ongoing session to the effect that AFSPA is scrapped totally.

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