Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 09:
Taking a dig at the state security forces who raided New Lamka-Vengnuam area of the district on June 1, the Churachandpur based Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF) said the despicable behavior of police commandos and IRB personnel tantamount to State sponsored terrorism.
It may be mentioned that the operation by the joint commando and IRB team stationed at Bishnupur district resulted in the arrest of 12 ZRA cadres and reported recovery of a pistol and wireless set.
But the acts of the security personnel in assaulting civilians, incursion inside the Church and large scale looting and confiscation of personal and household articles during the raid evoked widespread protests.
From the human and legal point of view, the ZHRF termed the incursion of the security personnel inside the religious place in the absence of compelling evidence of unlawful use of the place amounts to attack on the religious minority rights of the people.
The security action poses a direct challenge to the secular creed and principles of the Constitution, ZHRF said.
The rights body also took serious note of the operation being conducted by security personnel from another district and arrest of suspects without presence or knowledge of local police officials.
The body also charged that detention of the arrested persons far from their residences violates rights of personal liberty.
That security personnel from another district could just come and conduct raids in such a manner constitutes illegitimate conferment of power and authority on the security force without responsibility and it is against all known principles of natural justice which is the life blood of any society governed by rule of law, observed ZHRF.