Imphal, Aug 24: Secretary of Women Action for Development M Subita has sought clarification from all concerned involved in the poster campaign against the armed group UNLF by using photographs apparently shot during the mass rally taken out as a part of the fortnight observation in relation to crime against women.

As done every year, Women Action for Development observed the fortnight against crimes on women from November 25 to December 20 last year, she recalled.

As a part of the observation, mass rallies were taken out on November 30 at Imphal and December 8 at Moreh.

The photographs taken during the rallies were being used by some individuals/groups after some modifications in a poster campaign against UNLF, she disclosed.

Speaking to reporters today at Press Club, Subita said that the Women Action for Development (WAD) has no knowledge of the campaign being undertaken presently.

She clarified that during the rallies taken out against crimes on women, not a single word was spoken against any armed group.

Subita noted that it came to their light that photographs of the rallies sponsored by WAD were being misused in the poster campaign against the UNLF when they observed many members of WAD in the posters with words against UNLF embossed on them.

Moreover, white shirts worn by all the rallyists as observed in the posters confirmed that the photographs taken during the WAD sponsored rallies were being misused by some element, she noted.

The captions of these posters read like, "Let us not leave Manipur into the hands of armed youth", "Are you supporting only the truthful individuals" etc.

On the other hand, slogans used by WAD during the forth night observation against crimes on women were, "Stop crimes against women", "Rape is a crime against humanity", "Let's save our sisters", "Men and women are twin pillars of development", "Alleviate the status of women equal to that of men", "Don't intimidate women", "Women's rights should be protected", "Stop oppression of women" etc, Subita contradicted.

As the name of the organiser(s) are not written on the posters, it cannot be ascertained as yet who were behind the misuse of the photographs and the poster campaign, she said.

While urging the campaign organisers to clarify to the public immediately, Subita appealed to all concerned not to undertake such campaigns in future which are not only malicious and controversial but could also jeopardise the future of WAD.

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