JAC on Kadangband killing calls 48-hr hill districts bandh
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Kangpokpi, October 14 2015: Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the killing of Khupneilal Neihsiel and Robert Hesei Kipgen on Wednesday decided to impose 48-hour bandh in the hill districts of Manipur from midnight of October 18 to register its protest against the delay in tabling the report of the magisterial probe instituted by the Government.

Expressing extreme displeasure over the delay in tabling the probe report on the alleged encounter between Kuki National Front (KNF) and personnel of 8 Assam Rifles (AR) on January 28, 2015 at Kadangband, JAC Convenor Thangminlen Haokip and Secretary Lunmang alleged that the Government had promised to complete the report within three months.

However, even after 8 months, the report is not ready, said the JAC.

The JAC also noted that the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry vide order No.20/1(13)/2013-H(LC)/p, dated January 31, 2015 over the "fake encounter" in which one innocent civilian and one officer of KNF were killed.

The JAC leaders said the delay in tabling the report has led to apprehension among the people that the Government is trying to protect the guilty personnel involved in the killing.

"The JAC and the Kuki civil bodies take strong exception of this state of affairs and consider it as a violation of human rights and denial of justice to the people", asserted the JAC.

It recalled that on the January 28, AR personnel waylaid a vehicle of KNF men under Suspension of Operation (SoO) and shot them.

Khupneilal Neihsiel was the Village Authority Secretary and also the Vice President of Kuki Inpi Twibul Lhang said the JAC leaders while adding that Robert Hesei Kipgen on the other hand was the CAO of KNF which is under SoO with the State and Central governments.

The JAC said the killing without any provocation was uncalled for and against the SoO pact.

If the government fails to table the report at the earliest, the JAC said it would be compelled to launch a sustained agitation with the support of Kuki organisations until the "true nature of the fake encounter" is established.

In a show of solidarity, Kuki civil society organisations have decided to lend full support to the 48-hour hill Districts bandh imposed by the JAC.

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