Tributes paid to Thangjam Manorama
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 11 2011: People paid tributes to Thangjam Manorama, who was allegedly raped and killed by troopers of 17 Assam Rifles after forcibly taken away from her house in the intervening night of July 10 and 11, 2004 on the occasion of her 7th death anniversary.

Organised under the joint aegis of Thangjam Manorama Memorial Charitable Trust and Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, the death anniversary observance was held at the Bamon Kampu residential gate of the victim.

Representatives of various civil organisations and student bodies were also present at the occasion attended by president of Irabot Foundation, Manipur Thounaojam Iboyaima; president of Manorama Memorial Charitable Trust, Bamon Kampu Sengoi Luwang and co-ordinators of Apunba Lup Ayekpam Langdon Leima, Pulindro Konsam and Sunil Karam as presidium members.

Delivering the key note address, secretary of the Trust K Muhindro said that the incident of Manorama was one of the most heart wrenching incidents that the people of Manipur have experienced as an impact of prolonged imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Recalling the incident, Muhindro said that in the intervening night of July 10 and 11, 2004, troopers of 17 Assam Rifles then posted inside Kangla Fort stormed into the house of Thangjam Manorama and forcibly took her away after beating up her old mother and brothers.

In their custody, the Assam Rifles personnel violated her modesty and to cover up their misdeed, Manorama was shot dead and left her body along the road side of Ngariyan at a spot known as Thonghaipham.

Thangjam Manorama death anniversary : A lady gives vent to her emotions

The brutal and inhumane nature of the Assam Rifles personnel on an innocent woman evoked wide spread public protest demanding scrapping of Armed Forces Special Powers Act under the banner Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, a conglomerate of various civil organisations.

Local people of Bamon Kampu area have also extended their full support in the fight for justice along with formation of People Action Committee Against the Brutal Custodial Killing of Th Manorama.

Other than a series of democratic agitations launched under the banner of Apunba Lup like mass sit-in-protest, mass court arrest, non-cooperation and civil disobedience movement, etc, the incident had also provoked 12 Imas to stage a nude protest in front of Kangla where the 17 Assam rifles was then stationing on July 15, 2004 shouting slogans like 'Indian Army Rape Us ! Kill Us!', 'Go Back Indian Army', etc, Muhindro recalled.

However, instead of listening to the cry for justice of the people, the Govt deployed more security forces to suppress the democratic movement of the people.

Thousands of people were wounded while many others were detained in jail under NSA in the crackdown of the Government, he lamented.

Among those who spoke at the occasion, president of United Committee Manipur (UCM) Yumnamcha Dilipkumar observed that the incident of Manorama acted like a catalytic effect on the long pending public demand for scrapping Armed Forces Special Powers Act under which many innocent people have lost their lives while many women including those in the hill areas have been violated of their chastity.

Calling upon the people to join hands and fight against such atrocities of the security personnel, Dilipkumar said that no public movement would ever go waste.

We still need to ensure that incidents similar to that of Manorama do not happen again in Manipur.

AMUCO president KT Rahaman asserted that Manipur is a State fight for regaining its lost sovereignty and India has always been trying to suppress any public movement in Manipur.

So, it is up to the people themselves to face such challenges.

We should continue to fight against prolonged imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act with greater force and unity.

Social worker and president of Irabot Foundation, Manipur Thounaojam Iboyaima gave a clarion call to all the UG groups to unite and categorically stated that it is on account of disunity among the UG groups that there can be no unity among the civil organisations.

So, the public need to exert pressure on the UG groups to come together and join hands.

Likewise, Apunba Lup also need to consolidate its position to ensure removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

The president of Poirei Leimarol Apunba Meira Paibi, Manipur L Memchoubi said that people living in both the hills and the valley need to understand that they have a common destiny.

They should come together and work out strategies to save innocent people from undue harassment of the security forces who are given immunity under Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

AMKIL president Ph Shakhi observed that we could achieve our goal only after there is unity not just among the civil organisations but also among the UG groups.

Afterall, the goal is the same.

UGs who are supposedly fighting for liberation should be sincere in their intention and stop harassing the people with monetary demand in the name of liberation movement, she added.

The president of Kanglamei Y Leirikleima, co-ordinators of Apunba Lup Ayekpam Langdon Leima, Sunil Karam and Phulindro Konsam and president of Thangjam Manorama Memorial Charitable Trust Sengoi Luwang were also among those who addressed the gathering.