People’s Tribunal releases report on human rights violation in Manipur

Brozendra Ningomba
A 280 page report on torture, extra-judicial executions and forced disappearances in Manipur titled "Manipur in the Shadow of AFSPA" prepared by the Independent People's Tribunal and published by Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) was released at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal yesterday. Former Member of Manipur Human Rights Commission and eminent journalist Yambem Laba, advocate and human rights defender Khaidem Mani and Deputy Ombudsman of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Wahengbam Joykumar were the chief guest, the president and the guest of honour respectively at the function. Speaking on the occasion, Yambem Laba said, "I feel terribly sad thinking about those victims who have been languishing with unbearable pains over the death of their near and dear ones, or ordeals of torture they had faced, etc." "I also feel happy at the same time knowing that this report will now enable the world to realize that serious acts of human rights violations are taking place in Manipur," he added. Citing the numerous incidents of crimes and human rights violations happening in Manipur, advocate Khaidem Mani said that individual fights, lobbing hand-grenades or bombs by underground elements, etc were all crimes. But the acts of torture, extra-judicial executions, forced disappearances, etc carried out by the security personnel who wield powers under the shadow of AFSPA were all clear examples of human rights violations, the advocate said, adding that protection of human rights indeed was the job of the state. It is worth mentioning here that the Independent People's Tribunal on Torture, Extra-judicial executions and Forced Disappearances comprising Justice KK Usha (retired Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Justice DK Basu (former Judge,Calcutta High Court), Justice Malay Sengupta (former Acting Chief Justice, Sikkim High Court), Justice Th Sudhir Singh (retired District and Sessions Judge, Manipur East), Justice C. Upendra Singh (retired District and Sessions Judge, Manipur), Justice Lisham Rabindra Singh (retired Judge, Family Court, Manipur) and Yambem Laba (former Member, Manipur Human Rights Commission) heard the testimonies given by the victims' families over three days from December 11 to 13 in 2009 in Imphal. The Independent People's Tribunal (IPT) was presided over by Justice KK Usha, and was organised by Human Rights Law Network, Imphal under the guidance of its Director Meihoubam Rakesh, a lawyer here. The victims' family members had expressed deep concern over the complete failure of the administration to protect the most basic rights of its citizens and the total collapse of the legal system in terms of security, protection and enforcement of the rights of the people of Manipur. The IPT had recorded about 42 cases of violations -- 40 cases of encounters and two incidents of torture. As many as 30 family members of the victims had deposed before the Jury while 12 testimonies were presented in writing by the family members without deposition. Harsh Dobhal is editor of the report, which is a detailed compilation of the testimonies that the victims' relatives had narrated before in front of the Jury. The function was organised by HRLN, Manipur.