Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 21 2009:
Joint Secretary of Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Jiten Yumnam, who was arrested by the police on September 14 was allegedly subjected to electric shock in police custody.
According to the diagnosis report of the doctors at JN Hospital, Porompat, who attended on him on September 18, Jiten developed general weakness and pain in the private part after electric shock.
However, his BP and pulse rate were normal.
When contacted in this regard, Senior SP of Imphal West L Kailun said that there is no such report.
He assured that if it is true then an inquiry would be conducted and necessary action would be initiated.
Meanwhile, CCDD has expressed shock and anger at the conduct of the police.
In a joint statement signed by its co-chair Aram Pamei and secretary Joseph Hmar, CCDD said it is saddened and angered by the arrest of its key member and joint secretary.
The joint statement said that Jiten has been an active member of CCDD since its inception in 1999 and along with a few like-minded people, Jiten runs the office of CCDD situated at Paona Bazar which is also a place for research and campaign support for affected people by large projects in Manipur.
The joint statement further informed that just before his arrest, Jiten was preparing for the climate negotiations conferences in Bangkok and New Zealand where he supposed to be an Observer at the UNFCCC organized conference which is a process toward the final negotiation in Copenhagen.
He was the only one from the whole of North East who will be attending as representative of a civil society body to be part of this governmental negotiation.
His arrest by the Manipur Commandoes will keep him away from this very critical meeting of global importance.
The State must understand Jiten Yumnam's contribution in international policy processes.
By torturing and jailing him Manipur will lose a valuable person and will send a wrong signal to those upcoming individuals who are capable of engaging at the international fora, the joint statement of the CCDD added.