Tributes paid to Meira Paibis
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 28 2012: People of Manipur today showed their respect for the Meira Paibi movement by paying floral tributes to the statues of Meira Paibis at Khurai Salanthong Tharo Devi ground.

The 14th Meira Paibi Numit (Meira Paibi Day) was observed at the same ground today.

Giving the key-note address at the public gathering, Meira Paibi Numit Observation Committee secretary RK Randhoni recalled that many innocent people including pregnant women were tortured and massacred by security forces at Patsoi on April 26, 1980 .

After this, the dreaded Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was enforced all over Manipur.

This event and the subsequent incidents laid the foundation for the present day Meira Paibi movement.

The number and frequency of murders, rapes and cases of involuntary disappearance would have been much higher had there been no Meira Paibi movement, Randhoni said.

Talking about the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Randhoni said that NCTC which would be attached to Intelligence Bureau would be too authoritative not to abuse its powers.

Both the NIA and the NCTC were formed with a sinister design to assault and torture people, rape women and kill people in fake encounters at ease, she alleged.

For the past many years, people of Manipur have been subjected to a carrot and stick policy.

Even as the womenfolk of Manipur have been fighting against all kinds of repressive measures unleashed by the State since the incident of Patsoi-Langjing, but the change so cherished by the people still remains a far cry.

Observing that some elements, apart from security forces, have been committing all kinds of anti-social activities in the guise of revolutionaries, Randhoni said that Meira Paibis have been protesting bomb threats, taking out rallies and keeping a vigil all night around their respective localities against those pseudo-revolutionaries.

This new dimension of Meira Paibi movement is blurring the spirt and objective of the movement, she conceded.

Advisor of the All Manipur Women Voluntary Organisation Chongtham Usharani said that security forces have been torturing and killing innocent people in the name of counter-insurgency operations since 1980 .

It was against such repressive measures that Manipuri women rose up and launched the Meira Paibi movement.

Over the years, security forces have adopted a novel strategy aimed at winning Meira Paibi groups by presenting some articles.

In the meantime, many cases of rape by security personnel have been reported, Usharani noted.

Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur president Longjam Memchoubi stated that the Meira Paibi movement is basically a movement to safeguard collective and individual rights of the people.

Meira Paibi movement is even more crucial for survival of male population of the State.

AMKIL president Ph Sakhi Leima pointed out that the Meira Paibi movement symbolises mother's responsibility to save their sons and daughters from the long hands of security forces.

Meira Paibis have also been taking pivotal roles in the fight against drug abuse and the subsequent social malady.

Prof Ksh Bimola of Manipur University hailed the Meira Paibi movement as a saviour of many lives and modesty of many more women.

Saying that security forces have been persistently conspiring to mislead or jeopardise the Meira Paibi movement, Prof Bimola underscored the need to remain united so as to keep all external forces at bay.

The Meira Paibi Numit observance was also attended by Kanglamei president Yumnam Leirik Leima, WACAK president Soubam Ibetombi and CHITUWA president Maibam Purnimashi.

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