Right to life and International laws deliberated
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 15 2015: A mass rally cum public meeting on 'International Humanitarian Laws and Right to Life' was held today at Lairenkabi Dramatic Hall.

The mass rally cum public meeting was held under the aegis of the North East Dialogue Forum and it was participated by meira paibis of Lairenkabi, Lamban, Heibongpokpi, Lamglongei, Tera Urak, Kadangband, Phayeng, Singda, Haorang Keirel, Haorang Khunou and volunteers of Social Youth Organisation, Sanjenbam and WAD.

The mass rally was flagged off from Heibongpokpi and it wound up at Lairenkabi where a public meeting was held.

Naharolgi Thoudang Editor Khoirom Loyalakpa, Dr Dhanabir Laishram, U Nobokishore of the United NGOs Mission Manipur (UNMM) and WAD secretary Sobita Mangshatabam spoke at the public meeting.

Noting that the underprivileged people of Manipur are being exploited indiscriminately, Loyalakpa asserted that Manipur is in a state of war.

The Government of India should acknowledge that a war is raging on in Manipur and New Delhi should inform whether international humanitarian laws are being applied in the country or not.

If yes, women, children and all innocent non-combatants should be spared from the scourge of the political violence.

Many sections of Manipuri people were euphoric and they celebrated on the streets and public grounds when Manipur was merged with the Indian Union.

But today all the hopes and expectations have been belied.

There is no guarantee that the human skulls and skeletal remains discovered from Tombisana High School campus were not of those people who disappeared involuntarily.

The discovery should be investigated to establish all the facts and the Government should act in line with the pulse of the general public otherwise a strong and sustained civil movement cannot be ruled out, Loyalakpa said.

In the course of the mass rally, slogans like "Culprits found guilty for crimes against women and children should be awarded exemplary punishment", "All the 60 MLAs of the State have been sitting idle", "Repeal AFSPA from Manipur", "Investigate the discovery of human skulls and skeletal remains", "Don't violate human rights" etc.

One of the speakers quoted a report of the Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights which says that 21 people out of 27 people killed by security forces during Operation Blue Bird at Oinam, Senapati were subjected to severe torture before they were shot dead.

Moreover, many innocent people including women and children were beaten up mercilessly apart from destroying a number of dwelling houses and other structures.

Further, during another military operation at Sajik Tampak in 2004, Indian army prevented people of the surrounding villages from accessing health care facilities and also from procuring essential commodities.

This was in contravention of the UN Common Article and its Additional Protocol.

Since AFSPA was imposed in the North East region, 8983 people have been slain.

Out of them 2335 people were slaughtered between 2005 and 2014 as reported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the speaker said.

Manipur alone accounts for 904 cases of killings by security forces.

The meeting resolved that AFSPA should be repealed from the soil of Manipur permanently.

Investigation into the discovery of human skulls and skeletal remains by an enquiry commission headed by a retired Judge, deposition of all pending criminal cases, establishment of a separate agency to look into gender discrimination and appointment of two High Court Judges against the existing vacant posts were some other resolutions adopted at the public meeting.

It was reported that a memorandum highlighting all these resolutions/demands would be submitted to relevant Union Ministers, the Governor of Manipur, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.

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