Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 10 2010:
"Torture" is not new to the people of Manipur.
They have faced torture in one or the other form everyday, said Khurai Assembly Constituency's MLA Dr Ng Bijoy speaking as chief guest at the Human Rights Day observance at Manipur Press Club today.
The function was organized by 'Wide Angle, Manipur' in collaboration with the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Rehabilitation and Research for Torture Victims (RCT), Denmark.
On the occasion, victims of torture and organized violence were honoured with gifts and presentations.
Speaking as chief guest, MLA Bijoy said that in Manipur torture is not a new thing.
People faced torture without a day's break.
He said that scarcity of essential commodities like fuels is also a kind of torture.
The burden and anguish of faced torture is heavier than the torture meted out by the state and non-state actors.
Such kinds of torture and organized violence are giving a heavy blow to the physical and mental lives of the people of the state.
Victims of such tortures need physiological therapy, he observed.
Former Manipur Human Rights Commission member Yambem Laba who presided over the function observed that it would be of great significance in the future to preserve the testimonies of tortured victims.
Related organisations and authorities should try to record statements of every victim of
torture.
Wide Angle secretary, Montu Ahanthem, who also spoke on the occasion, said that the organisation is collecting and preserving statements and testimonies of the victims of torture so that it can be exposed to the entire world and to help in the campaign to end such acts of violation of rights.
In the function, a few victims of torture also related the physical and mental harassment they had endured.