Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, January 31 2009:
WITH VARIOUS human rights violations and atrocities being committed in the state besides at least 3-4 persons reportedly being killed in a day on average, the United NGOs Mission-Manipur (UNM-M) asserted "enough is enough" and also questioned how long the people of Manipur were to suffer due to such heinous crime.
Addressing a press conference on "Violent situation faced by the state people" at the Conference Hall of State Youth Centre, Khuman Lampak in Imphal East Saturday morning, V.Nabakishore, secretary and spokesperson of the UNMM asserted that the human rights violation and atrocities in the state were growing at a high rate with at least 3-4 persons being reportedly killed in a day on average.
Nabakishore also informed that there have been 497 cases of death reports in 2008 besides 54 persons reportedly killed for the month of January 2009 alone.
The secretary of the UNMM also disclosed that of the 54 killed so far, 41 were suspected underground cadres with four confirmed civilians and nine security personnel.
With such increasing human atrocities, Nabakishore also cited the examples of Miss Lamkhoting Marte, 35, a physically challenged girl who was raped and murdered in the border town Moreh and of the 25 year old girl who was shot dead by suspected militants in an indiscriminate firing during a meeting in Churachandpur.
The incident also left three others wounded including a three year old baby, added the secretary.
Stating further the one witnesses or hears about killing of at least 3-4 persons a day on normal day, Nabakishore reminded that these incidents were always followed by allegations and counter allegations among the confronting parties, families of the victims and various civil society organisations.
He also reminded of the reported incident wherein personnel of the "Indian forces" in civvies allegedly apprehended a young entrepreneur from his residence and tortured him, however, released him after promising them to pay a sum of Rs.1.5 lakh as ransom.
Asserting that such actions of the state and non-state actors were horrifying the whole population of the state, the secretary of the UNMM also observed that all such incidents occurred during the encounter operations and that only the suspected undergrounds were killed.
In these regards, the UNMM appealed to both the state and non-state actors to employ alternative strategy by delaying the strategy of killing under suspect and stated that the present situation of encounter was really traumatising the lives of the innocent civilians who are also responsible for the state and their families.
The UNMM also appealed to all the political and government leaders, state and non-state actors to deal with the civilians of the state with fair trial while countering the insurgency issue.
It also further appealed to the respected leaders to avoid killing and find an alternative strategy to deal the situation.