Yaingangpokpi awakes to plebiscite call
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 20 2011:
India has not been respecting the International laws, general secretary of All Manipur Bar Association Y Priyokumar has alleged, while addressing a public meeting held at Yaingangpokpi community hall today.
Speaking as a resource person in the meeting held under the theme of 'Manipur-India conflict and its resolution through public participation, advocate Priyokumar pointed out that India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations Organisation (UNO) for protecting the rights of the people but it has not been able to keep its promise and ensure protection of human rights of its own citizens.
He further pointed out that resolution no.1514 adopted by UNO on December 14, 1960 has endorses that the sovereignty of a group of people with distinct history, culture, language, etc but have been subjugated should be respected if the people want to live independently.
Being a member of the UNO, India too has appended its signature endorsing the on the resolution.
So, the armed movement being witnessed in Manipur for regaining the lost sovereignty is legitimate in accordance to UN resolution no.1514, advocate Priyokumar asserted.
However, quite contradictory to all these India has been depriving even the Constitutional rights guaranteed to all its citizens to the people of Manipur through imposition of draconian Act like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and militarisation of the tiny State populated by just around 27 lakhs through deployment of over 60,000 Indian Army.
It is on account of such human rights violations perpetrated on the people of Manipur despite claiming to be own citizens, that India has been denied permanent seat in the General Assembly of UNO.
India should think over this issue, advocate Priyokumar added.
Organised under the joint aegis of Yaingangpokpi Meira Paibi Apunba Lup, Yaingangpokpi Bazar Development Committee, Youth United Club and Youth Progressive Club, the meeting was attended by president of Yaingangpokpi Meira Paibi Apunba Lup Sagolsem Ranihal Leima, chairman of Yaingangpokpi Bazar Development Committee Yendrenbam Shyam, president of Youth United Club Laimayum Abhiram Sharma and president in-charge of Youth Progressive Club Toijam Binachandra as presidium members.
At the end of the meeting two resolutions have been adopted.
The first resolution endorses holding of plebiscite to ensure public participation in resolution of the conflict and the second resolution decided that the resolutions adopted would be forwarded to UN and other International human rights organisations for support in this regard.
Among others who addressed the meeting, founder member of Youth Progressive Club Khongbantabam Angouba categorically stated that people of Manipur have been enslaved for a long time but they have forgotten this fact while bickering over petty issues.
The only way to break free from the shackles of slavery is think and work together for a common destiny.
Vice president of NIPCO Sunil Karam and general secretary of Yaingangpokpi Bazar Development Committee Gurumayum Dineshwar Singh also addressed the meeting highlighting the root cause of the conflict.
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