Dimapur, Mar 17 - Reacting to a reported comment by a senior Manipur state legislator which allegedly politicized the sensational killing of a SDO and his two staffs in Senapati district of Manipur in February last, seven Tangkhul civil organization including the Tangkhul Naga Long (apex Tangkhul civil organization) today advised the chief minister of Manipur, O Ibobi Singh not to politicize killing otherwise it would be assumed that the killing was a state sponsored terrorism.
The presidents of the seven Tangkhul Organisations; Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Tangkhul Naga Wungnato Long and the Tangkhul Shanao Long in an open letter to the Manipur chief minister censured the reported statement of senior Manipuri legislator, O Joy which appeared in a leading Manipur daily on February 21 and 25.
“It is very unfortunate that senior politicians like O Joy MPP Legislature should openly politicize the recent killings of Dr Th Kisan and his two staffs in his press statements…” the Tanghul organizations stated. Saying that no killing or incidents has been communalized and politicized in Manipur history until the recent killing of Dr Kisan and his two staffs, the Tangkhul organizations advised the chief minister not to politicize the issue. “Shri O Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister is advised not to politicize the issue, failing which we will be constrained to assume it as a state sponsored terrorism,” the letter stated.
Tangkhul bodies criticize govt
In this connection the letter while saying that the indigenous peoples of northeast region has been asserting for their right to self-determination for several decades with the objective to ensure their economic and political rights, affirmed that the response by the state to the people movement have been a gory experience of suppression, abuses of human right through the imposition of several draconian laws that grant impunity to all acts of violence by the state security forces, resulting to loss of life and property and denial of all democratic rights of the people.
In this connection the letter while saying that the indigenous peoples of northeast region has been asserting for their right to self-determination for several decades with the objective to ensure their economic and political rights, affirmed that the response by the state to the people movement have been a gory experience of suppression, abuses of human right through the imposition of several draconian laws that grant impunity to all acts of violence by the state security forces, resulting to loss of life and property and denial of all democratic rights of the people.
The letter, while recalling how the brutal killings, arbitrary arrest and torture of innocent civilians by the state and non-state actors have affected hundreds of homes and families in the past decades in Manipur, listed out the names of several people of Manipur who were killed in the past. In this regard, the letter pointed out that the total lack of accountability and policy on rehabilitation and compensation to the bereaved families by the state has further created communal divide and injustice to the people.
Acknowledging that the hard earned peace processes in the region has given the people an era of peace and hope to resolve the genuine aspiration of the people through dialogue and negotiations, the Tangkhul organizations further acknowledged the ongoing peace processes with the Government of India and the Karbis, Dimasas, Garous, Boros and the Nagas. Besides, the organizations also acknowledged the peace processes initiated by the state of Manipur with several armed groups for a negotiated settlement through declaration of suspension of operations (SoO) etc.
However, the civil organizations asserted that the present state policy on responding to the ongoing peace process in the region has resulted in promoting communal tension, provocations, arbitrary arrest, torture and killings of innocent civilians that may lead to dislodging the hard earned peace processes. “…unless the state response with positive approach to promote peaceful resolution as to the people aspirations, such a policy would escalate more violence and act of terrorism which is nothing short of state terrorism,” the letter asserted. In this connection, the seven Tangkhul organizations, while criticizing the senior Manipur legislator for his reported statements, advised the chief minister of Manipur not to politicize the killing of DR Kisan, SDO Kasom Kullen and his two staffs since no killings or incidents in Manipur have been communalized or politicized so far.
