Imphal, May 29: Out of every hundred incident of crimes and killings taking place in Manipur, only five victims try to seek justice, Advocate Rakesh Meihoubam of Human Rights Law Network has stated.

Speaking at the occasion of a lecture programme held at Mayum Network, Sega Road here today, Rakesh pointed out that due to lack of legal awareness and fear of reprisals, the number of victims of armed conflict prevailing in the State who knock at the door of justice is still very low in Manipur.

Recounting some of his personal experiences, Rakesh said that the victims of the family members in places little further away from Imphal are living in constant fear of reprisals and the question of seeking justice is out of the picture.

He encouraged the family members of the victims and their relatives to lodge FIR complaint and help in finding out the truth and punishment of the guilty persons.

The lecture programme was organised by Family of the Involuntary Disappeared' Association, Manipur (FIDAM).

Delivering the lecture on the topic of 'Combating enforced disappearance: The Punjab story', programme director of South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) Ram Narayan Kumar said that during the British colonial rule in India, various Acts have been imposed to repress the people's movement for self-determination.

Rowlatt Act was one such Act and regardless of these repressive Acts, proper investigation had been conducted into the incident of Jallianwallabagh massacre in Punjab and the guilty officials have been given due punishment.

However, after the independence of India, no inquiries have been ever conducted over major incidents like enforced disappearance of 2097 people during the period from 1984 to 1994 in Amritsar itself.

Even if an inquiry had been instituted in connection with killing of innocent civilians during the Operation Blue Star in Punjab, the culprits are still at large, he lamented.

Alleging that when it comes to the demand for inquiry, India Government conveniently set aside the issue maintaining lack of evidences, Kumar asserted that there are enough evidences but the Government of India does not to list to the voice of the people.

Inspite the indifferent attitude of the Government, people should continue to demand the truth and punishment of the guilty.

Family members of the involuntarily disappeared persons from Manipur were also present at the occasion.

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