Protest rally in Manipur

Let´s save the people from the genocidal government

Mass rally Wednesday, 17th march, 2004

Since the last month, the Indian army has killed twelve persons barbarically and illegally. The Assam Rifles killed eleven persons and yesterday, the 15th March 2004,yet another person fell victim to the inhuman brutalities of the Rajputana Rifles. In glaring instances of cold blooded barbaric murders, the Indian army is unleashing a reign of terror in Manipur. On the 9th of March, around 1 p.m. afternoon, Khundrakpam Tejkumar (22) of Uripok Laikhulenbi was picked up forcefully from the local playground during Holi sports festival by the Assam Rifles in front of hundreds of agitated men and women. His dead body bearing clear signs of brutal torture was found near Ng. Mani College at Chairenthong. In the late hours of 9th March, around midnight, personnel of the 17th Assam rifles forcefully picked up Khumanlambam Debeshwar (34) from his house. His dead body was found abandoned around 3 am in the morning at Waithou Khongnang Kachin. In another incident, Khwairakpam Ratan (28) who was picked up by the Assam Rifles from Sekmai Bazaar was shot dead and dumped near his house. Prior to this, the 28th Assam Rifles picked up Khumanthem Samarendra (30) of Wangjing Lamding Khumanthem leikai from his house and Thangjam Binoy (20) who had gone out to get an application form for the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB). Along with Azad Khan (27), they were killed by the Assam Rifles on the 7th of March and their dead and mutilated bodies were discarded at Khsetri Leikai Charangpat road. On the 9th March, Keisham Ngamba (35) was apprehended by the 33rd Assam Rifles stationed at Wabgai Awang Leikai Keirak and his dead body was dumped near Wabgai Buffalo farm. The Assam Rifles claimed he was killed in an encounter. Irungbam Shyamananda (25) of Pungdombam Awang Leikai who was picked up from his house by the 12th Assam Rifles on the 25th February was found dead on 2nd March. Md. Rahman (28) of Thoubal Moijing was picked up from his house by the 17th Assam Rifles. He was killed and dumped by the Assam Rifles near Waikhom Mani Girls´ College. Many other instances of wanton and forceful apprehension, illegal detention for days, weeks and months without trail, blatant violation of all legal procedures by concealing the whereabouts of apprehended persons without handing them over to the police, brutal third degree torture like electric shocks administered on private parts of the body and maiming have been perpetrated relentlessly.

A murderer is a murderer, whether it is the police, the Army or Assam Rifles. A murderer should be booked under provisions of law and given due punishment. The personnel of the Assam Rifles and Rajputana Rifles involved in the killing of Tejkumar, Debeshwar, Ratan, Samarendra, Binoy, Azad Khan, Shyamanda, Rahman. Should be given due punishment under the laws of the land. Unfortunately, all these killers are scot free and duly protected by both the Indian government and its agent, the Manipur government. On one pretext or the other, they have been suppressing the people´s aspirations and voice. The clarion call of the people "Murderers should be punished" has been repressed overtime. This diabolic policy further encourages the killers.

Civilians or insurgents cannot be apprehended and killed wantonly without proper trial by the police or the Indian Army. It is the duty and responsibility of the police to arrest a person alleged to have broken the laws governing civil society and facilitate the trial. The army´s role is to help the police. No legal provisions in Indian or elsewhere provide sanction to the act of extra judicial execution or arrest and murder by the police or army. The act of wanton arrest and illegal murder perpetrated by the police and Army directly contravenes the existing laws. It violates the most basic and fundamental rights to Life. Police personnel and Army personnel involved in these acts are also criminals. Murderers. It is an important and necessary task of the present government to apprehend these murderers and punish them duly under the existing legal provisions of the country.

The Government´s design of tacitly supporting and encouraging these crimes perpetrated by the police and the Indian Army is a direct indication that they are not meant for providing security to the people. Instead of fulfilling the aspirations of the people and improving their wretched conditions, the ruling political clique of both Manipur and India have resorted to a strategy of securing their lives and possessions through the instrument of coercive machineries like the police, the paramilitary and Indian Army. This self-serving ruling clique employs nefarious means including brutal repressive tactics through these coercive apparatus to repress the people´s legitimate movements and struggles. A drastic expansion in the coercive military institutions while denying basic employment opportunities to lakhs of educated unemployed youth, increasing militarisation and perpetration of brutalities and atrocities against the destitute masses. Instead of giving security to the people, the Indian Govt. and Manipur Govt. is vindicating and encouraging the killers.

The Indian Govt. and Manipur Govt. is solely responsible for these inhuman atrocities perpetrated on the people. Using Armed forces for mass murders is nothing short of genocide meant to wipe out small nationalities. It is a sinister policy of the Indian Govt. to crush the legitimate aspirations of the people. In this situation, there is no alternative except the collective defense of the people by the people themselves. For this, we need to stand up and resist these repressive measures collectively. Opposition and resistance to this mindless and brutal terror is the only way out. Murderers should be punished, Security forces/Army cannot arrest people, Release all those who have been apprehended, the people have to openly come out without my fear. On the 17th of March, at 10:00 a.m. the people of Manipur will take out a historic rally to oppose and resist this mindless wave of terror perpetrated by the Indian Army and other coercive machineries of the state.

Dated 12th March, 2004
Chanura Lamjinglen Kangleipak (CLK)
Committee On Human Rights (COHR)
Human Rights Alert (HRA)
Threatened Indigenous Peoples Society (TIPS)