PREPAK shares thought on International Human Rights Day
Genesis Of Protection Of Human Rights Day Traced
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 09 2012: Ahead of the International Human Rights Day, which falls tomorrow, the proscribed PREPAK highlighting continuous atrocities committed by Indian security forces regretted that the US-influenced United Nations is unable to effectively redress plight of the marginalised global community, including people of Kangleipak (Manipur) .

A PREPAK statement issued by its assistant secretary of Publicity and Propaganda Leibakngakpa Luwang said contrary to the United Nations Organisation advocating protection of human rights through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948 in its Paris General Assembly, such a declaration is irrelevant in Manipur as Indian security forces had been indulging in elimination of Manipuris for decades.

Stating that the Universal Declaration has technically been embraced by all the Nations there are some countries, such as India that do not respect human rights or values, Leibakngakpa also highlighted that the revolutionary movements in United States of America (1776) and the French Revolution (1789) are the genesis of the UN declaration for protection of human rights.

Manipur's movement against human rights violations can be traced to the early part of the 16th century when Leimarel Thambal (Gomti) led a people's revolt against the then ruler (Ningthou) Pamheiba, expressed the assistant secretary with reference to (chronicle) "Numit Kappa Puya" .

However, the Nupi Lans of 1904 and 1939 can be regarded as two movements by the masses towards protection of human rights, he added.

Maintaining that the UN's universal declaration is an adaptation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom with the then Prof (Law) John Humphrey of Canada's Mc Gill University playing the leading role in the preparation of the Declaration, Leibakngakpa stated that Department of Canadian Heritage still supports any movement related to protection of human rights.

Inspite of universal acceptance of the UN Declaration there had been instances of gross violation of human rights and the March 21, 1960 massacre of 69 unarmed civilian demonstrators in South Africa's Sharpville that stunned the international community was one of many such atrocities throughout the world, the PREPAK statement said while elaborating that the South protest, during which over 300 people sustained injuries, was a fallout of the apartheid policy of the then South Africa Government.

even though Manipur is yet to see similar massacre as the South African incident, it terms of casualty figure, it is without doubt that the Indian security forces have been violating human rights for decades.

As a part of the State sponsored terrorism innocent civilians are being slain, women raped and murdered and many others falling victims to stage-managed encounters, he charged.

The recent Supreme Court outbursts against the Government of Manipur against rampant violation of human rights and fake encounters in the State is a testimony that people of Manipur have been enduring severest form of atrocities.

Moreover, the UN General Assembly's December 4, 1960 (Resolution No.1514) 'Declaration on the Granting of independence to Colonial Countries and People' upholds sovereignty movements but the UN is yet to effectively translate the Declaration into reality for the global body continues to act under US diktats, the PREPAK functionary said.

In the same way misleading information by India to the global body is preventing the UN from intervening in the ongoing revolutionary movements in Jammu ^ Kashmir, Assam and Kangleipak (Manipur), he opined.

Although UN is against use of force against the people's revolutionary movement it is a reality that Government of India continues to suppress the ongoing movement in Manipur through both use of force as well as sinister policy of dividing the people on ethnic lines.

Citing demands for 'homeland', 'greater-land' and 'alternative arrangement' from certain section of the society as a success story for the Government of India's sustained campaign to dilute the revolutionary movement, he expressed that snapping of age-old fraternal bonds between the indigenous communities of Manipur do not bode well for the people for India's main concern is not the welfare of the masses but making Manipur a security force bastion to defend its frontiers.

Regretting that certain group of people have been indirectly supporting India's policy to militarise Manipur by demanding separate status on ethnic lines, PREPAK opined that possibility of Government of India intending to ultimately wipe out the entire Manipuri population and replace the indigenous people with mainland Indians cannot be rule out.

The observance of International Human Rights Day is another occasion for cross section of the Manipuri society to realise that along with protecting human rights it is the duty for all the people to ensure that the people do not suffer any longer, which will only be possible when sovereignty is restored, declared Leibakngakpa.

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