Imagi Meira for judicial probe in Jiri murder
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 17 2024: A women's convention spearheaded by Imagi Meira has demanded a judicial probe into the Jiribam violence and to let the State Government oversee security arrangements in strife torn Manipur.

The convention christened "The Manipur Women Convention" was held at CRYDA Chinga Mathak Community Hall and it took eight resolutions after discussing the situation in the State.

The first resolution which was adopted was to let a Justice of a High Court investigate the murder of a Meetei civilian Soibam Saratkumar on June 6 in Jiribam and the series of arsons and atrocities carried out against the Meeteis in the border district thereafter.

The second resolution asked the State Government and Chief Minister N Biren Singh to clarify whether Article 355 is imposed in Manipur.

A memorandum should be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to withdraw the emergency provision if Article 355 is in place in the State, elaborated the same (second) resolution.

The convention, in its third resolution, demanded that the authority of the Unified Command must be given to the State Government and the Home Department (State) must oversee the security arrangements to end the conflict in Manipur without allowing any interference from a hidden force.

The fourth resolution urged the 45 MLAs of the ruling parties in the coalition Government (not including the 10 Kuki MLAs) to submit a joint memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs and brief the latter about the first three resolutions taken in the convention viz judicial probe into Jiribam violence, clarification on Article 355 and entrustment of security arrangement to the State Government.

A demand to withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur was the fifth resolution of the convention as it accused the paramilitary force of openly taking the side of Kuki militants.

The gathering at the convention urged the State Government to apprise the Central leadership of the alleged biased conduct of Assam Rifles with evidence.

The sixth resolution demanded resettlement of internally displaced people (IDPs) after giving them a proper relief and rehabilitation package.

In its seventh resolution, the convention urged the two Members of Parliament (MPs) who won the Inner and Outer seats of Manipur and their party (Congress) leaders to raise the issue of Manipur in the upcoming Parliament session to resolve the crisis.

The eighth resolution demanded that the security forces should not arrest any village volunteers who come out only to defend the lives and properties of Meeteis and not to wage a war against the Central or the State Government.

There will be a widespread protest if security forces target village volunteers, the gathering cautioned.

All the MLAs of the ruling parties and those supporting the coalition Government must step down if their demands are not entertained within 30 days.

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