Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, March 3
Rallyists in Senapati district of Manipur today shouted slogans against all forms of violence. They also demanded justice to be delivered to the victims of human rights violations.
Organised jointly by All Tribal Organization and Rural Upliftment Federation, North East Dialogue Forum and Women Action for Development, hundreds of people took out a rally at Shungriphai village under Manipur’s Senapati district.The rallyists holding placards and banners displaying slogans such as ‘down with Indian racism,’ ‘deliver justice to the victims of brutally murdered, raped and assault, ‘make charge sheet of all pending cases of crimes against women and children immediately,’ ‘repeal armed forces (special powers) act, 1958,’ ‘stop violence against women and children,’ ‘ratify Rome statute of international criminal court,’ ‘establish international tribunal court on war crime in Manipur,’ ‘stop committing genocide in Manipur,’ ‘respect and implement international humanitarian law,’ ‘stop torture against civilians in Manipur,’ ‘punish the rapists and murderers,’ ‘stop rape as an instrument of war,’ ‘sign and respect Deeds of Agreements of Geneva Call by Armed Non-State Actors,’ ‘respect and implement common article 3 of Geneva conventions 1949 and additional protocol-ii of 1977 by India and armed opposition organizations,’ ‘trial all cases of genocide, crime against humanity and war crime in Manipur under international law,’ and ‘provide assistance to the victims of raped, murdered, tortured and killed,’ ‘repeal AFSPA and We Want Justice.’
Earlier, a public meeting was held in which various resource persons strongly condemned the ‘racist regime of India’ by imposing AFSPA, 1958 in the North East. The resource persons stated that the extrajudicial executions of 1528 persons, enforced disappearances, tortures, illegal detentions and rapes etc. by the Indian security forces amount to crime against humanity. The speakers lamented that such cases have never been investigated by the government and justice had been denied to the victims so far. The speakers also said that rape has been used as an instrument of war.
The speakers called upon both the government and underground organisations to respect the international humanitarian law while engaging in the war or violent conflict. The speakers also urged the ‘non-state armed actors’ to sign Deeds of Agreement of Geneva Call.
Dr. Dhanabir Laishram, social scientist; Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director of Human Rights Alert, A. Mobi, Editor of Manipur This Week and Dr. Daniel Kashung, Principal STBNA High School Irong spoke on the occasion as resource persons and the event was flagged off by C. Ningkhalem, the headman of Shungriphai village.
