PREPAK greets
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 20 2013 : The pros-cribed PREPAK has greeted all the mankind on the occasion of International Day of Peace (September 21) .

Informing that this year's theme is "Education for Peace", the outfit asserted that the right path for the struggling people of Kangleipak (Manipur) to achieve their le-gitimate goals is the path sanctioned by the principles and rules of the United Nations.

Apart from struggling for restoration of sovereignty, people of Kangleipak should have another goal for a peaceful, secure and dignified life at par with other countries of the world, said a press release issued by the outfit's publicity and propaganda assistant secretary Leibakngak- pa Luwang.

Taking serious note of the restive situation brought about by liberation movements in different parts of the planet, UN first deliberated on the idea of International Day of Peace in 1981 .

Subsequently, it resolved to observe International Day of Peace all over the world on September 21 every year.

The basic essence of the International Day of Peace is to facilitate search for peaceful resolution of conflict situations.

The UN is more concerned about the people facing conflict situation on account of armed liberation movements.

At present, more than 200 crore people have been waging wars of liberation in different parts of the world and people of these countries are living miserably without getting any chance of enjoying peace.

More than 5 crores people have been either displaced or are unable to live in their homes because of conflict situation.

Leaving aside peace, these people have been living under adverse conditions without getting even the fundamental rights guaranteed by the UN.

Deprivation of fundamental rights from these people is a major challenge in the quest for peace.

These marginalised sections of people who are the ones stricken by poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy and absence of sustainable development.

It has been universally accepted that development works are a stepping stone towards peace and working for meaningful peace is one way of resolving of conflicts, the outfit asserted.

It went on to question, "Can colonised people like the people of Kangleipak be told to live in peace and which perspective can justify it ?" .

Whereas the Government of India has fully militarised every nook and corner of Kangleipak, the international community is still reluctant to accept the fact that there is armed conflict situation in Manipur even as draconian laws like AFSPA has been imposed in the State since many decades back.

At the same time, the Government of India has been projecting the armed liberation movement as law and order problem.

The outfit asked, "How will people living under such conditions find peace?" .

It is impossible for people of an occupied territory to live in peace or with dignity.

Informed by this fact, the UN came out with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 .

Then on December 14, 1960, the UN General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution (resolution No 1514 -XV) on "Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.

To keep a group of people or a nation under foreign occupation is gross violation of human rights and its against the UN charter.

The UN guarantees the right to wage wars of liberation by any available means to all colonised people.

Again, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on October 12, 1972 stating that all its member countries should extend all possible assistance to wars of liberation waged by colonised people.

This was followed by another resolution of December 12, 1973 which declared any attempt to suppress legitimate liberation movements is against the UN principles and the right to self determination.

Considering the paramount importance of right to self determination for ensuring peace to all the people of the world, Article 38 of the International Court of Justice statute laid down that all colonised people should be granted the right to self determination.

The same declaration is reaffirmed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

However, the Government of India, after ratifying 25 such covenants, has been denying the right to self determination to the people of Kangleipak.

It is this very act of arrogance on the part of New Delhi which is jeopardising peace in the Himalayan region including Kangleipak, the outfit alleged.

The outfit further called upon all the people of Kangleipak to pledge collectively on the occasion of International Day of Peace to overthrow the alien rule and pave way for a peaceful and progressive society.

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