People's Democracy

CPI(M) MP’s TEAM VISITS MANIPUR

‘People Desire Dialogue With Extremists’

THE people of Manipur are tired of being caught in the crossfire between the security forces and the extremists and they keenly desire that the central government should initiate dialogue with the underground extremist outfits in order to restore peace and normalcy in the state.

This is the feeling gauged by the two-member MPs team of the CPI(M) comprising Chandrakala Pandey and Nikhilanand S, which visited Manipur on September 1-2 and talked to people from different sections of society. Among those whom the MPs met included family members of Manorama, whose rape and killing by personnel of Assam Rifles sparked off the current round of agitation, those injured in the police actions during this ongoing agitation, Sharmila Devi who has been on a fast since November 4, 2000 demanding the withdrawal of the Disturbed Area Act, the state governor and the state chief minister. 

After their visit, the CPI(M) MPs observed that the people of Manipur are living under the shadow of terror. On the one hand the security forces undertake raids on their villages, homes and indulge in human rights violations while on the other the extremists pressurise them to do their bidding. The MPs also felt that the present turmoil in Manipur though sparked off by the brutal murder of Manorama is actually the outburst of longstanding hurt and pain over human rights violations like rape, extra judicial killings, fake encounters, arbitrary arrests and torture of innocent people – all in the name of counter insurgency operations.

VISIT REPORT

The CPI(M) MPs were received at the Imphal airport by state Party, DYFI, SFI and AIDWA leaders. From the airport they directly went to the Bamon Kampu residence of Manorama and held talks with the bereaved family members. They talked to Manorama’s mother, younger brother and many relatives and neighbours. Thangjam Basu, younger brother of Manorama, recounted the details of the brutality and atrocities committed by the Assam Rifles personnel who came to arrest his sister on the intervening night of July 10 and 11.

While expressing gratitude to the CPI(M) for undertaking this visit, the family members pointed out how the chief minister of the state, O Ibochi Singh, had not cared to visit and console them. Manorama’s mother who is very sick requested the CPI(M) MPs to pressurise both the state and central governments to ensure that appropriate punishment is given to the Assam Rifles personnel involved in the custodial killing of her daughter.

Thangjam Basu told the MPs that the personnel of Assam Rifles forced the family members to sign a ‘No Claim Certificate’ at gun point stating that “the troops of Assam Rifles have apprehended Manorama Chanu from her house at 2.30 am on July 11, 2004 and searched the house in the presence of family members and the undersigned don’t have any claim against them. It is further stated that they have not misbehaved with women folk or not damaged any property.”

But the reality was that Manorama was beaten badly by the seven member Assam Rifles team. They did not even spare her old mother. They picked up Manorama and with beatings dragged her outside and tore her clothes. Then they took her back inside the house and forced her to change her torn and muddy clothes.

The CPI(M) MPs also met the protestors who were staging a sit-in-protest outside Manorama’s house demanding scrapping of black laws. Then they visited the RIMS hospital to see the injured persons in police action since the agitation began on July 16. Many young students, both male and female were severely wounded in the lathicharges, firing of rubber bullets and live bullets.

Table 1

Agitation (July 16 to September 1, 2004)

Source: Facts as provided by the Hospital Authorities

During their meeting with the state governor, Shivinder Singh Sidhu, the MPs gave their assessment of the situation and requested him to pursue the matter of shifting the Assam Rifles headquarters from Kangla Fort. The governor agreed to the MPs request.

Later when they met the state chief minister, the MPs told him to ensure that the killers of Manorama are brought to book and to see that Kangla Fort is given the status of a cultural heritage monument. They also suggested the CM to convene a broad-based convention and invite leaders of various political parties, mass organisations, eminent educationists, social workers etc so that some fruitful suggestions could be elicited.

Various delegations (students, youth, women, university teachers, senior citizens etc) which met the MPs identified the economic backwardness of the state as the root cause of the unrest and suggested acceleration of economic development.  More than 25 per cent of the population are registered unemployed youth with no future. Sometimes, their genuine protests are labelled as anti-national activities and cracked down heavily, fuelling further unrest.

On September 2, the MPs had to take special permission from CM’s office to visit 33 year old Sharmila Devi who has been on an indefinite fast since November 4, 2000 demanding withdrawal of the Disturbed Areas Act from Manipur. She is presently under police custody and kept in J N Hospital. She is being force-fed and public is not allowed to meet her. Sharmila’s indefinite fast was not noticed by the administration until the nude protest by a dozen Manipuri women on July 15, 2004 to condemn the alleged rape and custodial death of 32 years old Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles personnel.

Now, Manipur is echoing with the demand raised by Sharmila. Another movement spearheaded by 32 social organisations under the banner of “Apunba Lub” (Our Joint Organisation) has spiralled into a civil disobedience movement. It turned violent after a student leader, Chittranjan, immolated himself on the Independence Day. The MPs met  Chittaranjan’s family members and consoled them.

A small meeting was arranged by DYFI and AIDWA along with some women organisations. Most of the participants raised the demand that the central government must be pressurised into taking all steps necessary to provide justice and restore peace and normalcy in the state.