Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 07:
The whole gamut of excesses committed against the general public in conflict situation like Manipur and strong emphasis on both the law enforcing agencies and banned organisations involved in the conflict to honour humanitarian laws were elaborately discussed at the day long public dialogue on �Responsible Non-State Entities - Humanitarian and International Law Obligations�.
Organised by National Research Centre, Manipur under the aegis of Centre for Humanitarian Law Studies, Gauhati University at Manipur Press Club today many speakers equivocally highlighted despair and stress subjected against innocent civilian of Manipur caught in the vicious circle of security forces launching intense campaign to subdue militant activities and armed outfits using all available resources to dent security advances.
The session was held with GU�s Law Department professor N Sanajaoba as the main speaker with president of All Manipur Bar Association Kh Mani, LMS Law College lecturer Dr N Pramod and NRC president S Bhubol as observers while Colonel (retired) K Paishola and Wing Commander (retd) A Hemchand were the functional president and guest of honour respectively.
In his address, Prof Sanajaoba called upon both the non-State entities (UG groups) involved in national liberation movements and State actors (security forces) to honour guidelines of the 1989 Geneva Convention and subsequent protocol of the world body.
He regretted that law enforcing agencies are frequently tampering with humanitarian laws and Supreme Court prescriptions on protection of human rights during operations at the North East region.
Not only should the security force take all possible measures to ensure safety and security of civilian life but even under the most trying circumstances militants netted by the security forces should be treated at prisoners of war which ironically is not evident so far in the region, observed the professor.
Highlighting atrocities committed by security personnel upon the general populace under the garb of containing insurgency movement programme observer Kh Mani stated that arrested militant activists should be tried and punished according to law of the land.