UNLF ridicules Modi's claim on zero tolerance of fake encounters
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 20 2014: The proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF), in a press statement issued today by its Director-in charge (Publicity) M.Sak Hen, called upon the people that a united fight for freedom is the only means to encounter the atrocities, killings, political and civil rights violations, identity crises and forced economic dependence perpetrated by the India and Manipur governments.

Referring to the recent remarks of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament that culprits involved in fake encounter will not be spared; the UNLF statement cited that Modi is the same person who had been involved in various fake encounter cases in Gujarat during his tenure as Chief Minister of that State and asked, 'What Narendra Modi did during the infamous murder of Isharat, Sorabudin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati?' .

Saying that every government in India has been shouting against the extra-judicial killings as a magical word, the statement further charged that the present Army Chief General Dhalbir Singh is also the man who was involved in the killing of three Manipuris.

Referring to the Operation Blue Bird, Heirangoithong Massacre, Tera Keithel firing, RIMS Massacre, Tonsem Lamkhai killing, and Malom massacre, the UNLF statement said justice has not been delivered to the cases pertaining to a number of extra judicial executions by security forces in Manipur.

The banned outfit also termed the fake encounters, extra-judicial executions, enforced disappearances and AFSPA as parts of the government of India's policy to suppress the colonial people.

People of Manipur have been facing the hardships arising out of these policies for the last 65 years since the merger of Manipur into Indian Union, the statement added.

Even though the reports on enquiries pertaining to 27 cases including the Thangjam Manorama case and those ordered by Supreme Court and High courts have been revealed as fake encounters, no action has so far been taken by the government, it said, while adding that 'Instead the government has encouraged the personnel who are involved in the fake encounter cases.

Following an application from the Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association of Manipur (EVFAM) and Human Rights Alert requesting for enquiry into the killing of 1528 innocent persons from 1979 to 2012, the Hegde Commission formed by an order of the Supreme Court has established that 6 cases are genuine fake encounter cases.

However, the culprits involved have not been given punishment till date, the statement noted.

Even though Irom Chanu Sharmila has been on an indefinite fast for the last 13 years against the notorious AFSPA, the government of India has not taken any step to repeal the draconian act, it added.

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