Justice eludes widow, struggle goes on
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 15 2012:
Unable to send her two children to school, Tombi, widowed after her husband was killed in a reported encounter in 2009, is depressed by the ceaseless pestering of her two children asking her to send them to school.
In her fight for justice regarding her husband's death, Tombi had spent whatever she had though justice seems to be eluding till date.
Akongbam Oken, a taxi driver, was among the six killed in a reported encounter by security forces on September 8, 2009 at Awang Khunou under Patsoi PS in Imphal West district.
Since the death of her husband, Tombi has taken up any work available in order to feed her children and finance their education.
Amidst all the hardships, her mental pang has been added when she could not send her children to school due to abject penury.
"The constant complaint of my two children, for sending them to school, has depressed me," said an emotional Tombi, while talking to The Sangai Express at her Type III, Langol Housing Complex resident.
Her 12 years old son, Boy, (name changed) had completed till Class IV while the younger one Sana (10) had finished his Class III last year from a private school.
As their mother could not find means to finance their schooling, the two children were confined to the four corner of their house and pestered their mother every now and then.
Tombi almost broke down while mentioning that the elder son is good at his studies and her inability to provide the support.
No Government school is there near their resident.
The nearest being at Uripok.
Tombi also realised the inconvenience in sending the two kids to a distant school.
Few days before he was found killed, Tombi's husband, Oken was taken by some people to Konthoujam over the sale and purchase of a Tata Sumo.
As he failed to return on time, Tombi informed the transporters' association to which her husband was a member, and started searching for him.
Though the vehicle was found at Konthoujam, there was no trace on the whereabouts of the man.
Much to the shock of his wife and relatives, Oken was found being killed on September 8, 2009 in what the security forces claimed, 'encounter' .
The security forces claimed that six of them were killed in a retaliatory fire when they opened fire on the security forces when asked to stop their vehicle.
Despite several forms of agitation being launched in connection with the killing, the ex-gratia was even denied.
The victims' families approached the Court for justice which they were still waiting.
Recalling that her husband was a driver who worked hard to earn for the family, Tombi lamented that even justice is denied to her till date.
Since she is single handedly running the family, wants in the family galore.
Amidst the long wait for justice and the troubles in running the family, the inability to provide the children education has become another pain for Tombi.
It may be mentioned here that Home Minister Gaikhangam had recently stated that the Government would not compromise with any wrongdoings regarding extrajudicial killings.
He had also stated that no one, who is found involved in such acts, should be spared notwithstanding his rank or file.
The Supreme Court had also recently given approval for considering a plea to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe extrajudicial killings in the State which was petitioned by Extra-Judicial Execution Victim Families' Association, Manipur through Human Rights Alert.
The petition was admitted on October 1 this year by a Court comprising Justice Aftab Alam and Justice Rangana Desai.
In the petition, the petitioner urged for setting up of a special investigation team to probe extrajudicial killings; to initiate disciplinary proceeding against guilty culprits; payment of compensation to the victims' families and to annul the provisions of a section of CrPC and section 6 of AFSPA.
It is also pertinent to mention that the lives of 1528 people have been claimed in extrajudicial killings as per the chronological documentation of extrajudicial executions in Manipur since 1979 to 2012, as per reports of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
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